Two men charged over alleged rape of girl, 12, to appear for plea hearing
Two men who are reportedly Afghan asylum seekers will appear in court for a plea hearing over charges relating to the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton.
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Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, was charged in July with rape, while Mohammad Kabir, 23, was charged days later with kidnap, strangulation and aiding and abetting the rape of a girl under 13 after an alleged incident in the Warwickshire town, police said.
Both men will appear at Warwick Crown Court on Thursday for a plea and trial preparation hearing in front of Judge Kristina Montgomery KC.
During the investigation, police appealed for witnesses in the Cheveral Street area between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on July 22.
The charges against the men led to a protest outside the Town Hall in Nuneaton earlier this month when a march was led along the high street while protesters held St George’s Cross flags and Union flags.
Read more: Government could close asylum hotels next year with ‘one-off scheme’, says Refugee Council
Stand Up to Racism counter-protesters, who held placards and a banner reading "stop the far right", were significantly outnumbered outside the Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council offices.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and the youngest council leader in the country, George Finch – who is leader of Warwickshire County Council, claimed there had been a "cover-up" of details about the alleged rape.
Mr Farage suggested that police forces should release the immigration status of people who are charged with crimes.
In a statement, the Warwickshire force said that once someone is charged with an offence, it follows national guidance, which "does not include sharing ethnicity or immigration status".
In response to the alleged "cover-up", Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said "more transparency is needed" in the information given by police.