Men in court over alleged rape of 12-year-old girl

Police appealed for any witnesses who were in the Cheverel Street area of Nuneaton to come forward after the alleged rape

Two men have appeared in court charged in connection with the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton.

Ahmad Mulakhil faces two rape charges, while Mohammad Kabir is accused of kidnap, strangulation and aiding and abetting the rape of a girl aged under 13.

Warwickshire County Council leader George Finch has alleged the two men were asylum seekers, which the BBC has been unable to verify independently, and accused Warwickshire Police and the Home Office of covering up their immigration status.

Police refused to disclose further details, saying: "Once someone is charged with an offence, we follow national guidance. This guidance does not include sharing ethnicity or immigration status."

In a statement to the BBC the Home Office said: "Foreign nationals who commit crimes should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and justice delivered."

Mr Mulakhil, 23, appeared before magistrates in Coventry on 28 July, with Mr Kabir, also aged 23, appearing before magistrates on Saturday.

The pair, both from the Warwickshire town, will next appear at Warwick Crown Court on 26 August.

It has been reported but not officially confirmed that they are Afghan nationals.

Anyone who was in the Cheverel Street area of Nuneaton between 20:30 and 21:45 BST on 22 July and saw anything of interest is urged to come forward by Warwickshire Police.

'Risk to public order'

Finch, who at 19 became the youngest council leader in the UK and represents Reform UK, published a letter on his social media accounts on Sunday, addressed to the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, the Chief Constable of Warwickshire Police, Alex Franklin-Smith, and the chief executive of the council, Monica Fogarty.

He said Ms Fogarty had told him that Mr Kabir was an asylum seeker living in a house of multiple occupancy.

Residents had "very easily been able to join the dots together" and conclude that the men were asylum seekers, he said.

"Residents of Warwickshire can see they have not been told the full story," he said.

"I am disgusted that one year on from the social unrest that we saw in parts of the UK in 2024, the Home Office and the police have clearly not learned any lessons from the handling of similar incidents last year."

He added: "I strongly believe that the only risk to public order from this case in Warwickshire comes from the cover-up itself."

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told a press conference he wanted to discuss what he described as a "cover-up"

Speaking alongside Finch at a press conference in Westminster on Monday, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage linked a perceived lack of information from police to what happened in Southport last July.

Farage told the event he wanted to discuss a "cover-up that in many ways is reminiscent of what happened after the Southport killings last year".

"It is not... in any way at all a contempt of court for the British public to know the identity of those who allegedly have committed serious crimes," he added.

"I felt that in the wake of the Southport attacks, and I feel that ever more strongly today."

When asked if police should release the ethnicity of people charged with offences, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said the police and courts were operationally independent but the principle was to be "as transparent as possible".

"This is clearly a deeply upsetting and distressing case which the public are right to feel shocked and angry about," he added.

"In relation to this case, the individuals have been charged and we are now in a live investigation."

In a statement, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: "It is essential to state that policing decisions—such as whether to release details about a suspect—must follow national guidance and legal requirements."

He added that he would not speculate on the personal circumstances of those involved while court proceedings were active.

The BBC has contacted Warwickshire County Council for comment.

Chris Watkins, Labour leader of Nuneaton and Bedworth Council, said it was a criminal investigation and it would be inappropriate for the authority to comment further.

"Our deepest thoughts are with the victim and their family," he added.

"We recognise that the community is upset, but this incident is not reflective of the borough."

Jodie Gosling, Labour MP for Nuneaton, said she was "horrified" by what had happened and her thoughts were with those who had been affected.

She urged anyone with further information to contact Warwickshire Police or Crimestoppers.

"I have been in close contact with the police and want to thank them for their hard work in recent days," Gosling added.