Two Afghan asylum seekers have been charged with the rape and kidnap of a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, sparking concerns about transparency in police communications and asylum accommodation practices.
Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, was charged with two counts of rape following an alleged attack on the child on Cheverel Street on the evening of 22 July. He was arrested on 26 July and charged the following day. Mohammad Kabir, also 23, was arrested on 31 July and charged with kidnap, strangulation and aiding and abetting rape of a girl under 13.
Both men appeared at Coventry Magistrates’ Court and have been remanded in custody. Mulakhil will next appear at Warwick Crown Court on 26 August, whilst Kabir is scheduled to appear on 23 August. The alleged incident is said to have occurred between 8:30pm and 9:45pm in the Cheverel Street area of the Warwickshire market town.
Police Urged Silence on Suspects’ Background
Unnamed sources told the Mail on Sunday that Warwickshire Police urged councillors and local officials not to reveal the men’s asylum seeker status over fears of fuelling “community tensions.” The newspaper published CCTV stills from a property near Cheverel Road which appeared to show a man walking with a young girl at approximately 8pm on 22 July.
“They’re hushing it up because they don’t want an Epping situation on their hands,” a source claimed, referring to violent protests that erupted in the Essex town earlier this month.
Epping has witnessed a series of demonstrations and counter-protests since Ethiopian asylum seeker Hadush Kebatu was charged with several sex crimes in early July, just eight days after arriving in England via small boat. The 38-year-old denied three counts of sexual assault, including allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl, with his trial set for 26 August.
Small Boat Arrivals Living in HMOs
Mulakhil is reported to have crossed the English Channel via dinghy, whilst both Afghan men live in rented houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) managed by outsourcing giant Serco alongside several other asylum seekers. The properties form part of Serco’s extensive portfolio of more than 7,000 homes housing over 30,000 asylum seekers across the North West, Midlands and East of England.
Serco was awarded a 10-year contract worth billions of pounds by the Home Office in 2019 to provide asylum accommodation. The company has recently intensified efforts to recruit private landlords, offering guaranteed five-year leases at full rent, free property management, utilities, council tax payments and full maintenance services.
The owner of Mulakhil’s accommodation told reporters she was “sickened to the stomach” by the incident, adding: “I don’t know anything because Serco manage the house completely.”
Serco declined to confirm individual addresses or names, stating only: “We do not confirm individual addresses, nor the names of people in properties we manage.”
Police Defence of Information Strategy
Just one hour after details of the suspects’ backgrounds emerged, Warwickshire Police released a lengthy statement defending their approach to information sharing and highlighting their work with “community partners.
“There’s been some questions about what we do and don’t release as part of a high-profile investigation such as this,” the force said. “Following the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton on Tuesday July 22 we started an immediate and fast-moving investigation.”
The statement emphasised that specialist support was provided for the victim and that the investigation involved detectives, neighbourhood teams and experts from across the force. Police confirmed they brief local partners and elected officials on crime circumstances whilst warning that sensitive information could affect future court hearings.
We work to hold offenders to account and will always do everything in our power to present a robust case to the courts and protect the integrity of court proceedings,” the force stated. “Once someone is charged with an offence, we follow national guidance. This guidance does not include sharing ethnicity or immigration status.
Appeal for Witnesses Continues
Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses who were in the Cheverel Street area between 8:30pm and 9:45pm on 22 July. Anyone with information is asked to contact Warwickshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 418 of 22 July 2025, or to provide information anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The force emphasised that “the victim remains at the forefront of our focus” and confirmed they would continue working with partners whilst providing updates to the Nuneaton community.
Wider Context of Asylum Accommodation
The case comes amid growing scrutiny of asylum accommodation arrangements across the UK. Nearly 24,000 migrants have crossed the Channel so far in 2025, the highest number recorded at this point in any year, with crossings predicted to exceed 50,000 for the first time.
The Home Office spent £5.5 million per day housing 38,000 asylum seekers in hotels in December last year, according to official data. Housing migrants in private rentals costs as little as £14 per night compared to approximately £145 per night for hotel stays, driving the push to secure more private properties.
Around 99 per cent of those arriving via small boats claim asylum, entitling them to accommodation, healthcare, education and a weekly cash allowance of approximately £50 whilst their claims are processed.
The incident has reignited debates about transparency in police communications and the management of asylum accommodation, with critics arguing that withholding information about suspects’ backgrounds undermines public trust and fuels speculation.
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- Shire Hall, Warwick – English description: File:Shire Hall, Warwick.jpg, taken at 10:04 BST on 23 February 2024 by Richard Kelly (Wikimedia username: Stortford), licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
