Three Afghan nationals have been jailed in Bristol after being convicted of raping a teenage girl following a meeting during a shopping trip.
The 17-year-old victim had travelled to Bristol with a friend for Christmas shopping on November 25, 2025. During the visit, she met Mehrab Safi and exchanged contact details with him, including her Snapchat account.
What followed soon turned into a deeply traumatic experience for the teenager. Safi used Snapchat to persuade her to send nude photographs before arranging for a taxi to collect her from her home.
The taxi took the girl to Safi’s house in St Werburghs, Bristol, during the early hours of November 30. There, Safi and three other men raped her.
Three Men Sentenced for Bristol Rape
Mehrab Safi, 21, Awal Ahmadzai, 19, and Salman Habibkheli, 19, were convicted of multiple offences against the teenager.
The convictions were handed down on June 26 following the case involving the attack at a house in St Werburghs.
Safi was sentenced to 15 years in prison at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Ahmadzai and Habibkheli were each sentenced to nine years in a youth detention centre.
According to the court, Safi had first met the teenager while she was Christmas shopping in Bristol. He later groomed her through Snapchat before arranging transport to bring her to the house.
The court also heard that the three men were stopped by French police while attempting to flee the United Kingdom. They had been travelling in the back of a lorry.
Another Defendant Also Convicted
A fourth Afghan national, a 17-year-old boy, was also convicted of rape in connection with the case.
The teenager cannot be named for legal reasons. Unlike the other defendants, however, he did not attempt to escape the United Kingdom.
He was sentenced to two years and seven months in a youth detention centre.
The convictions brought separate sentences for the defendants involved in the attack. However, the court also heard about the lasting emotional impact suffered by the victim.
Judge Highlights Teenager’s Trauma
During sentencing, Judge Michael Cullum described the teenager’s experience as deeply traumatic.
He said being trafficked and raped by the men would have caused “unimaginable” trauma to the victim.
The court subsequently heard a victim impact statement outlining how the attack had changed the teenager’s daily life.
She explained that she had previously been more socially active and regularly spent time outside her home. Since the incident, however, she said she had become fearful of leaving the house.
“I had a lot more friends, I would go out a lot more, I was happier. Now, I’ve stopped going out, I don’t even leave the house in general.
“If I ever leave the house, it is only with my best friend or mum. I would not be able to go out by myself, even the thought of that makes me panic.
Victim Describes Lasting Fear
The teenager’s statement showed the continuing effect of the attack on her confidence and independence.
Before the incident, she said she had more friends and went out frequently. However, she now feels unable to leave home alone.
Her account also highlighted how the consequences of sexual violence can continue long after a criminal case reaches court.
The Bristol case therefore ended with prison and youth detention sentences for the four convicted defendants. However, the victim’s statement made clear that the personal impact of the attack remains ongoing.
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