Iranian migrant, 14, avoids jail after being convicted of raping schoolgirl as victim’s family left ‘furious'

Dan McDonald
Sat, 25 Apr 2026 22:38:06 +0000

An Iranian migrant, 14, has avoided jail after being convicted of raping a schoolgirl just three months after arriving in Britain on a small boat.

The teenager, who arrived as an unaccompanied minor last June and was placed in foster care, was found guilty in January of rape and two counts of sexual assault following an attack on a fellow pupil.

Instead of being sent to a young offender institution, he was ordered in mid-March to attend specialist sessions “on the understanding of consent, boundaries, and victim awareness”.

He was also handed a two-year exclusion order banning him from returning to the crime scene or surrounding area.

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The attack took place on September 23 last year after the pair encountered each other, having previously attended the same school.

Prosecutor Cassandra Roberts told the court the attacker forced his victim into bushes beside a skate park before pushing her to the ground.

Ms Roberts said he had asked the girl to "do stuff" before overpowering her, adding: "She was saying 'get off me' and 'no', and this was ignored."

The court was also told that the teenager then posted about carrying out the attack on social media just hours later.

The victim's family were reportedly left stunned that he avoided a custodial sentence despite showing no remorse for his actions.

A source close to the family told The Sun: "The victim's family are furious. They're outraged. This sentence is a total joke."

The source added: "There has been no punishment. This isn't a deterrent at all. The rapist is still free and could just do it again.

"The victim has to carry this for the rest of her life, while he can just go out as if nothing has happened."

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Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp hit out at the sentence, saying: "This vile attacker should be locked up for his crimes. Custody should be the only punishment for rapists."

Mr Philp added: "These attacks continue to happen under this weak Labour Government who have lost control of our borders."

Meanwhile, a Home Office spokeswoman said: “This was a sickening crime, and our thoughts are with the victim and her loved ones.

“Sentencing is a matter for the independent judiciary, but foreign nationals who commit these vile crimes will be deported at the earliest opportunity.”

The youth justice system treats custody as a last resort, and there are no fixed sentencing guidelines for juveniles convicted of rape.

However, teenagers of a similar age have previously received sentences of up to four years in young offender institutions.

Unaccompanied child asylum seekers are afforded greater legal protections than adult migrants, making deportation significantly more challenging.

Britain also does not deport offenders to Iran, deeming the country unsafe for returns.