Police accused of 'covering up' asylum seeker link after 12-year-old girl allegedly raped

Police have been accused by a council leader of covering up the immigration status of two Afghan men charged in connection with the rape and kidnapping of a 12-year-old girl, sparking outrage from local leaders and senior politicians. Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, has been charged with the rape of the girl in Nuneaton on July 22. Another man, Mohammad Kabir, also 23, has been charged with aiding and abetting rape, strangulation, and kidnap.

Both appeared separately before Coventry Magistrates’ Court and were remanded in custody until a hearing at Warwick Crown Court on August 26. Reports claim Warwickshire Police advised local councillors and officials not to disclose the suspects’ asylum seeker status, allegedly to avoid “inflaming community tensions”. However, this has sparked accusations of a deliberate cover-up and warnings that the force is repeating the same mistakes that led to the grooming gang scandals of the past.

Reform UK’s George Finch, leader of Warwickshire County Council and a member of Reform UK, said public trust is being eroded.

In a letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the Chief Constable of Warwickshire Police, and the council's CEO, he warned that the continued suppression of the suspects’ immigration details was fuelling anger across the community.

Describing it as a "gravely concerning development, he continued: "I am calling on the Home Office to immediately remove and rehouse all asylum seekers currently living in HMOs within Warwickshire.

"Our community has had enough of the Home Office breaking planning regulations to turn sections of local communities into unrecognisable, ghetto-like zones."

Mr Finch said: "The continued cover-up of the true nature of Ahmad Mulakhil’s immigration status risks public disorder breaking out on the streets of Warwickshire. The same detail has been covered up today concerning Mohammad Kabir.

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

"Having my ear to the ground locally, it is clear that there is much appetite for protests to take place across the County. Let me be clear, I do not want to see protests taking place outside migrant hotels and HMOs in Warwickshire. Nor do I want to see any form of violent disorder.

"Our police have much more important things to deal with; they do not need the mass disruption to local policing which would follow from the commencement of any protests."

He urged both the Home Secretary and the Chief of Warwickshire Police to release the currently omitted details of the pair's immigration status.

Mr Finch added: “The continued cover-up of the true nature of Ahmad Mulakhil’s immigration status risks public disorder breaking out on the streets of Warwickshire.

"The same detail has been covered up today concerning Mohammad Kabir… I strongly believe that the only risk to public order from this case in Warwickshire comes from the cover-up itself.”

Mr Finch said he had been told by the council’s chief executive that both men were asylum seekers housed in taxpayer-funded HMOs (houses of multiple occupation) managed by private contractor Serco.

A statement issued by Warwickshire Police said: "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.

"Once someone is charged with an offence, we follow national guidance. This guidance does not include sharing ethnicity or immigration status.

"As our investigation progresses, the victim remains at the forefront of our focus, and we will continue to work with our partners, providing updates and working alongside the people of Nuneaton."

Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, told the Daily Mail: “The police must be open about who is committing these alleged offences, and not try to hide it. Otherwise, we risk a repeat of the rape gang scandal, where horrendous crimes were covered up because of the identity of the perpetrators.”

Neither Mr Mulakhil nor Mr Kabir has yet been convicted of anything.

The alleged victim is said to be receiving specialist care.

A Government spokesperson said: “This is a deeply concerning case, and we are in touch with local police and communities.

“Foreign nationals who commit crimes should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and justice delivered.

“35,000 people with no right to be here have been removed in the Government’s first year, including over 5,000 foreign criminals – a 14% increase on the previous year.”