4/11/2024
Afghan immigrant who fled to UK after Taliban came to power charged with sexually assaulting 14-year-old girl as she walked her dog
Police have now charged a man in relation to a sexual assault in Littlehampton.
Gulahmad Oryakhail was arrested on 27 October, following an incident on 25 October in the area of Maltravers Leisure Park.
The victim, a 14-year-old girl, continues to be supported by specialist trained officers.
Oryakhail, 21, of Pier Road, Littlehampton, has now been charged with sexual assault and stalking.
He has been remanded in custody until 26 November, where he will appear before Lewes Crown Court to answer the charges.
Detective Chief Inspector Steve Cobbett said: “This charge and remand shows our commitment to tackling offenders. We have a zero-tolerance approach to violence against woman and girls.
“If you are a victim of sexual violence, please report it to us, you will be heard and we will do everything we can to bring perpetrators to justice.”
Anyone with information is asked to report it online or call 101, quoting crime reference 47240208787.
November 2024
An immigrant who fled Afghanistan when the Taliban took power has appeared in court after being accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl walking her dog.
Gulahmad Oryakhail, 21, who was allowed into the UK under the Armed Forces resettlement scheme, is said to have forced his hands under the young teenager’s bra and between her legs near Harbour Park Amusements in Littlehampton.
He appeared in custody at Crawley Magistrates’ Court, where he was sent to Lewes Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on November 26.
He is charged with sexually assaulting the girl on October 25 and with stalking her between October 25 and October 27.
The court heard Oryakhail repeatedly kissed the schoolgirl on the lips and neck, while asking for sex and tried to drag her towards a more secluded area.
Prosecutor Mr Jeremy King said Oryakhail then bombarded the complainant with phone messages over the next two days and was arrested near her home address.
He has been in the UK for twelve months and lives with his parents.
The girl’s family were on the lookout for Oryakhail and were described by Mr King as ‘angry and agitated’ when police arrived to arrest him.
The prosecutor asked for the young Afghani to remain in custody because: ‘He would be a real risk to vulnerable young people in the area.’
The magistrates agreed he should remain in custody.
Long-haired and bearded Oryakhail, who required the assistance of an interpreter, had been riding his bike near the seafront and will contest the charges.
Oryakhail claims the girl told him she was 18 years old and had consented to sexual contact with him as well as voluntarily giving him her phone number.
Oryakhail, of Fairlight Court, Pier Road, Littlehampton, BN17 5, who works part-time in a local Wimpy bar, obtained UK residency via his brother, who assisted the British Armed Forces, enabling the entire family to settle in the UK.
In 2021 the UK government agreed that Afghan citizens, who had served with or assisted our Armed Forces, were entitled to permanent residency under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy.
Their application can also include a partner, dependent children and additional family members and as of November 2023, there were still over 2000 eligible Afghans in the queue for UK residency.