Afghan migrants ‘held woman down and raped her at knifepoint in London park’

A woman gave emotional evidence at Snaresbrook Crown Court, telling how she was allegedly raped at knifepoint by two Afghan men in Barking Park, east London. Noorullah Ahmdzai, 26, and a second defendant who cannot be named for legal reasons, both deny the charges, which include rape, threatening someone with a blade, and false imprisonment; the younger defendant additionally denies assault by penetration. The case matters as a live criminal trial testing serious allegations, with the complainant's account being directly challenged by the defence.

The alleged attack took place on 16 August 2025 while the woman was with a male friend in the park; she said the two men pinned her down and threatened both of them with a knife before the assault. Giving evidence, she described one attacker's appearance and accent, and broke down during cross-examination by Ahmdzai's barrister, Emily Culverhouse, forcing a brief adjournment. The defence put to her that sex had been agreed for £70 and that she had threatened to call police unless paid £500, claims she denied, insisting she had been forcibly restrained. Ahmdzai, of Barking, and the teenage co-defendant are contesting all charges, and the trial continues.