DNA discovered on the clothing of an autistic 14-year-old girl "probably" belonged to two Afghan migrants accused of sexually assaulting her on a train, a court has been told. The prosecution alleges that Baryalai Rahimi, 25, and Mirebadurahman Sadat, 29, followed the runaway teenager onto a London-bound train from Kent on February 5. Jurors at Inner London Crown Court heard that Rahimi allegedly raped the girl three times in the train's toilets, while Sadat is accused of assaulting her twice. Both men deny a total of 20 charges, which include multiple counts of sexual activity with a child.
During the trial, forensic expert Kassandra Harris testified about DNA evidence found on the teenager's clothes. Sebastian Cox, defending Rahimi, questioned Ms. Harris about the shedding of cells and the sensitivity of DNA testing. Ms. Harris confirmed that DNA can be collected from a few skin cells and that sometimes the amount of female DNA present can overwhelm male DNA findings, making conclusive results about penetrative sex difficult. When questioned about her qualifications, Ms. Harris stated she had completed appropriate courses recognized by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service, though she has not published academic papers.
Ravindra Chandrapala, representing Sadat, pressed Ms. Harris on whether she could definitively state that Mr. Sadat's DNA was present. Ms. Harris responded that her findings "support the fact that his DNA was present."
The court also heard a recording of the victim's police interview, where she stated that other passengers on the busy train service were largely disengaged, with most "just on their phones."
Following their arrest, Rahimi provided a statement to police claiming he believed the girl was 17 or 18 and that she was "very forward" and initiated the encounter, which he described as consensual. Sadat, according to his statement, denied the accusations, citing memory issues but asserting he did not commit the offenses.
Rahimi faces charges including rape, sexual assault, assault by penetration, and alternative counts of sexual activity with a child. Sadat is charged with assault by penetration, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and alternative counts of sexual activity with a child. The trial is ongoing and is expected to last approximately three weeks.