In the early hours of August 4, 2024, a harrowing crime unfolded in Cooper Park, Elgin, Moray, Scotland. Rapualla Ahmadze, an Afghan asylum seeker believed to be about 20 years old at the time, approached a 17-year-old girl sitting alone on a park bench. The events that followed would not only devastate the young victim but also send shockwaves through the local community and ignite broader debates about justice, safety, and the complexities of asylum in the United Kingdom.
According to BBC News, Ahmadze made intimidating remarks to the teenager before subjecting her to unwanted kissing and touching. He then dragged her from the bench to a children’s play area, where he molested her, before forcing her into nearby bushes. There, on rough ground, he perpetrated what Judge Thomas Welsh KC would later describe as a “shocking and violent rape.” The ordeal did not end there; the victim was also subjected to oral rape. Throughout the attack, the girl repeatedly said “no” and tried to escape, but Ahmadze ignored her pleas. She later told police, “I kept thinking I need to get away. I tried to pull away from him three times. When I did this the man pulled me more towards him.”
The teenager’s ordeal was compounded by fear and isolation. She was scared she would anger her attacker if she resisted further. Eventually, she managed to attract the attention of a passerby, John Donald, who testified in court that when the victim approached him, “her arms and hands were shaking. She was crying by this time. She was really struggling to catch her breath. It was like she was hyperventilating. She told me she needed help and asked me to walk her somewhere.” Donald’s intervention provided a lifeline, and the victim was able to reach safety before reporting the attack to police at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.
The subsequent investigation, as reported by Police Scotland, quickly identified Ahmadze as the suspect. CCTV footage captured him walking the streets of Elgin in the early hours before the assault. Ahmadze was arrested and charged with rape and a separate count of threatening or abusive behaviour. During his trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, Ahmadze denied the charges, claiming the sex was consensual—an assertion the jury unanimously rejected. Judge Welsh told Ahmadze, “You were unanimously disbelieved by the jury in relation to your defence of consent. You were convicted by the jury on the basis that you acted in a predatory manner and took advantage of a vulnerable teenager who was unknown to you, and you raped her in shocking and violent rape on rough ground in Cooper Park.”
During the trial, Ahmadze’s background came under scrutiny. His defence counsel, Shaun Alexander, described a life marked by turmoil and violence. Ahmadze was born in Afghanistan, a country ravaged by war. As a young teenager, he was conscripted by his uncle into the Afghan National Army. After the Taliban took control, both he and his uncle were captured; his uncle was killed, and Ahmadze was imprisoned. He managed to escape, suffering a gunshot wound to his arm in the process. Alexander told the court that Ahmadze then embarked on “a long and arduous journey” that eventually brought him to the UK in 2023, where he sought asylum. “He arrived with nothing. He had no family, no friends, no support network,” Alexander said.
Despite these mitigating circumstances, the court found the nature of Ahmadze’s crime to be overwhelming. Judge Welsh emphasized the profound and lasting harm inflicted on the victim, citing a victim impact statement that described the “shocking, overwhelming impact your violent, brutal abuse has had on your innocent victim.” He added, “The harm which you have done is profound and long lasting.” The judge also noted that, while Ahmadze’s age and traumatic background were considered, the attack was “motivated by a brutal desire to take sex irrespective of the consent of the victim.”
Ahmadze was sentenced to nine years in prison, with the sentence backdated to August 2024, and placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely. The judge imposed a non-harassment order, banning Ahmadze from contacting or attempting to contact the victim. The court also heard that Ahmadze’s age had been disputed at various times—he claimed to be as young as 17 or 18, but immigration authorities provided a date of birth in January 2004, making him around 20 at the time of the attack.
The case has prompted strong reactions from law enforcement and the wider community. Detective Inspector Sam Buchan of Police Scotland described Ahmadze as “a predatory individual who took advantage of a vulnerable young woman for his own gratification. He will now face the consequences of his actions.” Buchan acknowledged the impact on the local area: “We know this was a deeply worrying incident for many people in the local area and I hope this conviction and sentence sends a strong message that sexual violence has no place in our communities.”
Police Scotland also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting victims and pursuing perpetrators of violence against women and girls. “Police Scotland is committed to our role to help create a society where women and girls live free from violence, abuse, exploitation and harassment. This is also reflected in our ongoing commitment to actively pursue perpetrators of violence against women and girls and ensure they are brought to justice,” Buchan said. He added that the force would continue to work with partners across the criminal justice system and support services to improve opportunities and support for women to report such crimes.
The case has inevitably raised questions about the intersection of asylum, trauma, and criminal behaviour. Ahmadze’s defence counsel argued that deportation at the end of his sentence would put his life at risk, given his history with the Taliban. However, Judge Welsh noted that decisions about deportation are a matter for the Home Office, not the courts. The judge pointed out that, as the law stands, Ahmadze is likely to face deportation after serving his sentence.
As the community in Elgin seeks healing, the victim’s courage in coming forward has been recognized by police and the court. Her ordeal, while deeply traumatic, has led to a conviction that authorities hope will deter future acts of sexual violence and encourage other victims to seek justice. The case has also highlighted the need for trauma-informed approaches within policing and support services, especially for women and girls who are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
In the end, the story of Rapualla Ahmadze and his victim is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of sexual violence—and the importance of a justice system that listens, protects, and acts decisively in the face of such crimes.
