'Truly disturbing case': Three sexual predators have been found guilty of rape in Hull

Three men, police have called “sexual predators”, preyed on and raped a woman after she got into what she believed to be a registered taxi after a night out with her friends in Hull, last year, have been found guilty.

After midnight a woman got into one of the cars in a queue, she believed to be a taxi.

During the journey, they continued to deceive the woman that it was a licenced taxi, but she was raped, the court heard.

Following the incident one of the men then requested a £20 “fare” for the journey - but she refused and managed to flee to safety.

Bakhtullah Safi, 18, of Margaret Street, Hull and Habibullah Ahmadzai, 18 of Wellsted Street, Hull were both charged with rape following the incident on Sunday 30 July.

Kehan Safi, 26, of Wellington Lane, Hull was also charged with rape and pleaded guilty to the offence at an earlier hearing.

Following the attack, a large-scale investigation was launched and police undertook hours of reviewing CCTV footage in and around the Hull City Centre to identify the car and suspects.

From the CCTV recovered, the footage captured the woman entering the vehicle and Bakhtullah driving away towards Hull Royal Infirmary.

The vehicle was registered to Bakhtullah.

It was also discovered Bakhtuallah travelled from Ferensway, before dropping the woman at an address in Hull where she was allowed to get out of the vehicle.

Bakhtullah Safi was arrested on Saturday 5 August, and Kehan Safi and Habibullah Ahmadzai were arrested on Sunday 6 August.

Following the eight-day trial at Hull Crown Court on Wednesday (Feb 14), all three were found guilty and will be sentenced on April 2, 2024.

Officer in the case Detective Constable Ashley Webster said it was a “truly disturbing case” and said police are pleased the men will be punished for this “horrific attack”.

“I cannot begin to put into words the bravery the woman has shown throughout the investigation and court proceedings, and I want to offer my sincerest thanks as she has helped take these abhorrent men off our streets,” DC Webster said.

“Kehan Safi, Bakhtullah Safi and Habibullah Ahmadzai are what I can only describe as ‘sexual predators’ who subjected a lone woman who had just been on a night out with friends, to a horrific and utterly traumatising ordeal for their own perverse needs.”

DC Webster said the men showed “no remorse” for the attack and encouraged anyone who may be a victim of sexual assault to come forward.