Sultani Bakatash, a 29-year-old Afghan migrant, was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment at Bolton Crown Court following his conviction for raping two 14-year-old girls. He groomed one girl via Snapchat over three months before inviting both teenagers to his flat in Bolton on 6 December, where he plied them with vodka until they were unconscious and sexually assaulted them. The convictions followed a full trial in July, with a jury rejecting his denials and his claims that the victims had consented and stated they were older.

Bakatash, a former Afghan soldier granted indefinite leave to remain in 2022, was found guilty of two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault. He had initially claimed the girls told him they were 18 and 19, but retracted this before trial after evidence showed they became severely intoxicated to the point of losing consciousness. The victims sought help from neighbours, and police found them extremely distressed with visible injuries. Bakatash was arrested at his brother's house the following morning.