Bulgarian factory worker who called girl, 12 ‘sexy’ then assaulted her is handed community order – after she was arrested when he filmed her with an axe and accused her of racism
A 23-year-old Bulgarian factory worker has been handed a community sentence after being convicted of assaulting a 12-year-old girl in Dundee. Ilia Belov called the girl "sexy" before pushing her and causing her to hit her head, then falsely accused her of racial abuse to police, a lie that initially led to her arrest instead of his prosecution. The case gained worldwide attention when Belov filmed the girl brandishing weapons and shared the footage online, with even Elon Musk publicly backing her after Scottish police appeared to side with the Bulgarian national.
Belov was convicted in June 2026, ten months after the August 2025 assault. He was sentenced to 18 months' supervision, 300 hours of unpaid work, and placed on the sex offenders register for 18 months. Outside court, he refused to apologise, instead complaining that he had become "a social pariah" and insisting he wanted to move on with his life. His sister, Nadjedzha Belova, 20, who assaulted a 13-year-old girl during the same incident, received 180 hours of unpaid work.
- Factory worker convicted of assault after falsely accusing girl of racism
- His false claim led to her arrest before his eventual conviction, ten months later
- Case gained international attention, including backing from Elon Musk
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In August 2025, a 23-year-old Bulgarian factory worker assaulted a 12-year-old girl in Dundee, calling her "sexy" and pushing her so hard she hit her head. When police arrived, he falsely accused her of racism. This false accusation initially led to her arrest rather than his prosecution.
The case gained international attention when he filmed the girl with weapons and shared the footage online. The footage went viral and attracted commentary from high-profile figures including Elon Musk. Public attention highlighted concerns about the police response and appeared to overturn the initial decision to arrest the girl.
The incident raised questions about how police handle allegations between adults and children, particularly when adults make false counter-accusations. It also showed the role social media can play in bringing cases to public attention and potentially influencing investigations.