Three asylum seekers have appeared in court to deny raping a woman on Brighton beach. Sussex police officers received a report that a woman had been raped on the lower esplanade in Brighton at about 5am on the morning of October 4. Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, an Egyptian residing in Horsham, appeared at Hove Crown Court facing four charges of raping the woman, all of which he denied. Abdulla Ahmadi, an Iranian national living in Crewe, and Ibrahim Alshafe, also Egyptian and based in Horsham, were each accused of two counts of raping the same woman. Both 25 year olds denied all charges.
Al-Danasurt, who is investigated for suspected immigration offences, also denied the charge of sharing intimate images without consent. A trial has been scheduled for March 16 2026 and is expected to last three weeks. Al-Danasurt and Alshafe both live in an asylum seeker hotel in West Sussex.
The court heard the rape happened one day after Alshafe's asylum claim was rejected.
A probe was launched after the woman claimed she was attacked after leaving a nightclub in the early hours of October 4, The Sun reported.
The 33-year-old victim is currently receiving support by specialist officers.
Prosecutor Melanie Wootton told the court that the woman was "dragged to Brighton Beach" and subjected to a "pretty terrifying ordeal".
Judge Jeremy Gold KC, speaking through Kurdish and Arabic interpreters, advised them: "It is very important that you co-operate with your solicitors in the preparation of this trial."
Detective Superintendent Andy Harbour said: "Three men have been remanded in custody, and we are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with the investigation.
"If you have any information that could assist the investigation, please contact police online or via 101, quoting Operation Brampton."
