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DNA evidence links two defendants to alleged train assault on autistic girl
Developing story first seen 5 hours ago
A forensic expert told the court that DNA findings support the presence of one defendant’s DNA on a 14-year-old autistic girl’s clothes, while evidence was described as probably linking both men to the clothing. The testimony adds forensic detail to a trial in which the two men deny sexually assaulting the girl on a train.
Prosecutors allege Baryalai Rahimi and Mirebadurahman Sadat followed the runaway teenager onto a London-bound train in Kent on 5 February and assaulted her in the toilets. The expert said DNA can come from a few skin cells, but could not say how it was transferred; Rahimi said he believed the girl was 17 and that the encounter was consensual, while Sadat denied the allegations. The trial is expected to last three weeks.
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In short
- DNA evidence supports the presence of one defendant’s DNA on the girl’s clothes.
- Both defendants deny the charges.
- The trial is expected to last three weeks.
How this story developed
- 1 hour ago The court heard that the girl’s DNA could obscure male DNA in the forensic analysis, as prosecutors alleged the men followed her onto a train in Kent and assaulted her in its toilets.
- 2 hours ago Forensic testimony added that DNA can be deposited by just a few skin cells, but the expert could not determine how it reached the girl’s clothing; the defendants gave different accounts to police.
- 5 hours ago A court heard that DNA on a 14-year-old autistic girl’s clothes probably came from two men accused of sexually assaulting her on a train in February, although forensic scientist Kassandra Harris said DNA could not prove penetration; both men deny the charges.
Explained simply
The case concerns two men, Baryalai Rahimi and Mirebadurahman Sadat, who deny sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl on a train travelling to London. Prosecutors say they followed her onto the train in Kent on 5 February and assaulted her in a toilet.
The girl was autistic and had run away from home. In court, a forensic expert discussed DNA findings from her clothing, while saying the evidence could not show how the DNA got there. Rahimi says he thought she was 17 and that the encounter was consensual; Sadat denies the allegations. The trial is expected to last three weeks.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “DNA found on autistic 14-year-old’s clothes ‘probably belonged to Afghan migrants accused of sexually assaulting her on train’”.