Outrage as Video Shows Afghan Men Celebrating Escape From UK After Bristol Gang Rape

The Bristol gang rape case involving a 17-year-old minor girl is getting further heat and outrage after mobile phone footage of three Afghan nationals convicted for the crime went viral for laughing and celebrating while fleeing the UK in the back of a lorry.

The men — Mehrab Safi, 21, Awal Ahmadzai, 19, and Salman Habibkheil, 19 — were later returned from France and found guilty at Bristol Crown Court. A fourth defendant, a 17-year-old boy, was also convicted.

The case has intensified debates about grooming, asylum processing, and public safety in the UK, which is already a heated subject in the country at the moment. Prosecutors described the attack as calculated exploitation after the victim was groomed via Snapchat and taken to a house in St Werburghs.

Video Shows 'Celebration' in Lorry

Three days after the attack, on 3 December 2025, the three older men fled the UK hidden in the back of a lorry.

According to reports, they were detained by French authorities in Calais and returned to Britain. Mobile phone footage recovered from one of the convicts, Safi's phone, captured the men laughing, joking, and making hand gestures inside the vehicle.

Prosecutors told Bristol Crown Court the video provided a 'direct insight' into their mood and suggested they were 'celebrating because they think they have got away with it.'

The footage was reportedly played in court and has circulated widely online, fuelling intense public anger over the perceived lack of remorse and the ease of their initial escape. According to Det Ch Insp Matt Cable of Avon and Somerset Police, the men posed a significant threat to young women and girls.

On X, one comment said: 'You can bet your life it won't be a just or fitting sentence. The girl will carry the scars for the rest of her life.' Another said, 'How can any government sit back and watch what is happening in this country and not admit there is a major problem. The tory and labour party both have a lot to answer for.'

Grooming And Assault In St Werburghs

The offences took place in the early hours of 30 November 2025 at a house in St Werburghs, Bristol.

According to a news release by Avon and Somerset Police, Mehrab Safi allegedly groomed the 17-year-old victim via Snapchat. He approached her at Cabot Circus while she was Christmas shopping with a friend and started messaging her. A few days later, he arranged a taxi to bring her from Somerset to the property.

Once there, she was plied with alcohol and cigarettes. Prosecutors said the four defendants took turns raping her over several hours. The victim later told police she felt unsafe and just wanted to go home.

When officers arrived after her mother reported her missing, the 17-year-old boy was arrested at the scene. The three older men fled and travelled to Birmingham and London before leaving the UK.

Convictions And Pending Sentences

According to the latest reports, all three adult defendants were convicted of rape and related offences.

One of the convicts, Safi, was also found guilty of human trafficking. Meanwhile, the 17-year-old boy was convicted of rape. The sentencing of these men is reportedly scheduled for 6 October.

Furthermore, the recent viral video of these men celebrating as they try to flee the country has renewed national debates about grooming gangs and border security. Critics point out the wider failures in safeguarding vulnerable victims and highlight the gaps in monitoring offenders who attempt to abscond.

Meanwhile, the victim's bravery was praised by police and prosecutors. 'Thankfully the three men who fled in such a cowardly manner were swiftly returned to the UK to face justice,' Sally Helliwell of the Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement.