Jan Jahanzeb, a 17-year-old unaccompanied child asylum seeker from Afghanistan, was sentenced at Warwick Crown Court for the abduction and rape of a 15-year-old girl in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. The incident occurred after the victim became separated from her friends near Leamington town centre. Jahanzeb, who had arrived in the UK in January of the current year and undergone an age assessment confirming his age as 17, targeted the vulnerable girl and led her away against her will.
Prosecutor Shawn Williams outlined the facts during the hearing, describing how video evidence captured Jahanzeb in the company of the victim, speaking in Pashto to summon his co-defendant, Israr Niazal, to join him. The footage showed the highly distressed girl screaming for help, with Jahanzeb placing his hand over her mouth to silence her explicit verbal protests. CCTV footage further depicted the three figures, confirming that the victim was being led away against her will to a bushy, den-type secluded area where the attack took place.
In the secluded spot, the girl was pushed to her knees and raped. The prosecution case established that Jahanzeb was the primary perpetrator in this act, with Niazal present and participating. The attack was described as 'horrific' in legal submissions, leaving the victim terrified and traumatised.
Sentencing Jahanzeb on Monday, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano imposed a youth detention term of 10 years and 8 months. Addressing the defendants, the judge stated: 'What you two did on that evening changed her life forever. No child should have to suffer the ordeal that she suffered. It’s clear from the footage we have seen that no one can seriously entertain the thought that you believed she was consenting.' She emphasised that both knew they were committing a criminal act by taking the child away from her friends despite her vigorous protests to an unobserved location.
The judge lifted reporting restrictions on the defendants' identities, noting they had 'betrayed' those seeking sanctuary in Britain who respect its laws. Jahanzeb, who has been served with deportation notification papers, and Niazal were also ordered to register as sex offenders and face possible deportation. Both had pleaded guilty to rape at an earlier hearing in Coventry youth court.
Following the sentencing, Ben Samples, deputy chief crown prosecutor for the West Midlands CPS, commented: 'These convictions reflect the deliberate and deeply harmful choices made by the defendants, who targeted and assaulted a vulnerable young victim. Rape is a profoundly damaging crime, leaving lasting emotional and psychological scars on victims and their families.' Detective Chief Inspector Richard Hobbs of Warwickshire Police praised the victim's bravery, stating the incident was 'hugely traumatic' and that specially trained officers had supported her throughout the investigation.