Afghan rapists who attacked girl, 15, placed in cushy youth jail despite horrific crimes
Reporting restrictions protecting the males' identities were lifted by a judge who said they had "betrayed" those who come to Britain seeking sanctuary and observe the laws
Two Afghan migrants who raped a 15-year-old girl have been put into a cushy youth jail where they have access to barista training and film nights.
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Jan Jahanzeb and Israr Niazal, both 17, were jailed on Monday after they led their victim away from her friend before raping her in a park in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.
They have been placed in HMYOI Werrington, which has been reported to see several so-called "enrichment" sessions laid on for them.
These are said to include hairdressing workshops, arts & crafts, and communal time where they can play Xbox games and table tennis.
The inmates at the Staffordshire lock-up are placed in single cells with their own showers and phones and have a desk and laptop, plus TV and DVD player.
Read More: Afghan national, 28, charged with raping two 14-year-old girls in flat
They shockingly also have access to £20 cash a week to spend in the prison tuck-shop on cans of Coke and sweets.
A source told The Sun : “I have known these officers in young offender institutions to play Jenga so they can pull the bottom of the tower away and it all falls down. Their role is to build the self-esteem of the prisoner and talk to them about their needs.
“These two have recently been moved to Werrington, and the regime there means they are basically being mollycoddled.
“It is shocking how cushy their life is there. They have nice cells, which are basically bedrooms, and allowed loads of time out.
“They are allowed time in the gym and access to workshops plus a ‘spends’ account of £20 per week. That is taxpayers’ money that they can spend on treats like cans of Coke, Maltesers and Pringles."
Their comfortable jail life comes after sickening footage of Jahanzeb surfaced of him remorselessly swaggering around Newbold Comyn Country Park in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, where the attack took place just hours later.
Jahanzeb and Niazal, both 17, face possible deportation and were ordered to register as sex offenders after a court heard their victim was led away from friends and attacked.
Warwick Crown Court heard the pair led the highly-distressed girl into a "den-type" area in Leamington Spa, where they pushed her to the ground and attacked her.
In shocking testimony, the girl was revealed to have filmed the attack in footage that is said to be so harrowing it would trigger a riot if published according to a defence lawyer.
The sickening video, taken by the 15-year-old victim as she was pulled away from her friends, was shown to Warwick Crown Court on Monday.
Sentencing the youths on Monday, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano said the victim had made "vigorous protests" while being deliberately taken to a secluded area.
The video is so harrowing it would “disorder if the general public were exposed” to it, the rapists’ own lawyer said.
In a separate CCTV clip, the two boys are seen walking on either side of the teenager, moments before they launched their attack.
The two Afghan nationals then proceed to rape the teenager, despite her “screaming for help”.
The judge told Jahanzeb, who has already been served with deportation notification papers, and Niazal: "What you two did on that evening changed her life forever.
"No child should have to suffer the ordeal that she suffered. It's clear from the footage we have seen that no one can seriously entertain the thought that you believed she was consenting.
"This is a case where it was absolutely clear to both of you that you were taking a child away from her friends in the face of her vigorous protests to somewhere that could not be observed in order to commit this offence.
"You both knew perfectly well that what you were doing was criminal and wrong."
Jahanzeb was sentenced to a youth detention term of ten years and eight months, while Niazal was sentenced to nine years and ten months.
Both pleaded guilty to rape at an earlier hearing at Coventry youth court.
The judge lifted reporting restrictions protecting the identities of the defendants, who she said had "betrayed" those who come to Britain seeking sanctuary and who observed the laws of this country.
"A lack of information stokes public anger and leads to the unchecked spread of false information," the judge said.
The rape, which took place after the victim had become separated from a number of friends was described as "horrific" during legal submissions regarding reporting restrictions.
Opening the facts of the case, prosecutor Shawn Williams said both defendants were unaccompanied child asylum seekers.
Jahanzeb fled Afghanistan and underwent an age assessment, which concluded he was 17, after arriving in the UK in January this year, Mr Williams said.
Niazal arrived in the UK in November last year, initially being accommodated in Kent before being moved into local authority care in the Warwickshire area.
Mr Williams told the court that video evidence recovered during a police inquiry showed Jahanzeb in the company of the victim and speaking in Pashto to summon Niazal to join him.
The phone footage was highly distressing, Mr Williams said, adding that the victim had screamed for help, but Jahanzeb had placed his hand over her mouth.
The victim had made "explicit verbal protests" during what Mr Williams described as an abduction.
Mr Williams said of CCTV footage showing three figures: "She (the victim) was being led away against her will.
"She was moved to a bushy den-type area - a really secluded location."
The victim, who was terrified, recalls that she was pushed to her knees before being raped.
"The prosecution case is that it was probably Jahanzeb that did that, but what is certain is that Israr Niazal was present and participating," Mr Williams said.
After sentence was passed, Judge de Bertodano said the victim had been "beyond brave" in attending court at a previous stage, when the defendants had intended to plead not guilty.
After the case, Ben Samples, deputy chief crown prosecutor for the West Midlands CPS Complex Casework Unit and Serious Violence, Organised Crime and Exploitation Unit, said: "These convictions reflect the deliberate and deeply harmful choices made by the defendants, who targeted and assaulted a vulnerable young victim.
"Rape is a profoundly damaging crime, leaving lasting emotional and psychological scars on victims and their families.
"The evidence in this case, including recordings and the victim's own testimony, made clear the defendants' responsibility for the suffering caused.
"The CPS is unwavering in its commitment to prosecuting sexual offences robustly and supporting victims at every stage.
"We work closely with police and partner agencies to ensure that those who choose to commit such devastating crimes are held fully accountable, and that victims receive the justice and support they deserve."
Detective Chief Inspector Richard Hobbs, of Warwickshire Police, said: "This was a hugely traumatic incident and I can't speak highly enough of the victim for the bravery she has shown.
"Our specially trained officers have supported her since the start of the investigation but, understandably, it has been, and continues to be, an incredibly challenging time for both her and her family."