Three men deny Brighton beach rape charges

Craig BuchanSouth East
News imageGetty Images A pebbled-beach with sea foam washing up the shore. Brighton Pier can be seen in the background, featuring a large white building with a shallow dome on top.Getty Images
Three men charged with raping a woman on Brighton beach have denied the charges against them

Three men accused of raping a woman on Brighton beach in October have denied the charges against them.

Egyptian national Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, of Horsham in West Sussex, pleaded not guilty on Monday to four counts of raping the woman and a charge of sharing intimate images without consent.

Also at Hove Crown Court, 25-year-old Iranian national Abdulla Ahmadi, living in Crewe in Cheshire, and Egyptian national Ibrahim Alshafe, also 25 and living in Horsham, denied two counts each of raping the woman.

The three men, who are seeking asylum in the UK, are due to face trial in March.

Sussex Police officers were called to the incident on the Lower Esplanade at about 05:00 BST on 4 October.

Judge Jeremy Gold KC told the defendants via Kurdish and Arabic interpreters that it was "very important that you co-operate with your solicitors in the preparation of this trial".

All three remain remanded in custody.

Additional reporting by PA Media

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.

Related internet links

More from the BBC