Afghan Resettled In UK Accused Of Littlehampton Park Sex Attack On 14 Year-Old Dog-Walker

Crawley Magistrates' Court

A young Afghani immigrant - allowed into the UK under the Armed Forces resettlement scheme - appeared in court yesterday, accused of molesting a 14 year-old girl walking the family dog in a Littlehampton park.

Gulahmad Oryakhail, 21, is said to have forced his hands under the young teenager’s bra and between her legs near the tennis courts in Maltravers Leisure Park.

He appeared in custody at Crawley Magistrates’ Court, where he was sent to Lewes Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on November 26.

He is charged with sexually assaulting the girl on October 25 and with stalking her between October 25 and October 27.

Oryakhail, of Fairlight Court, Pier Road, Littlehampton, who works part-time in a local Wimpy bar, obtained UK residency via his brother, who assisted the British Armed Forces, enabling the entire family to settle in the UK.

In 2021 the UK government agreed that Afghan citizens, who had served with or assisted our Armed Forces, were entitled to permanent residency under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy.

Their application can also include a partner, dependent children and additional family members and as of November, 2023 there were still over 2000 eligible Afghans in the queue for UK residency. 

The court heard he repeatedly kissed the schoolgirl on the lips and neck, while asking for sex and tried to drag her towards a more secluded area.

Long-haired and bearded Oryakhail, who required the assistance of an interpreter, had been riding his bike in the park and will contest the charges.

Prosecutor Mr Jeremy King said Oryakhail then bombarded the complainant with message to her phone over the next two days and was arrested near her home address.

He has been in the UK for twelve months and lives with his parents.

The girl’s family were on the look-out for Oryakhail and were described by Mr King as “angry and agitated” when police arrived to arrest him.

The prosecutor asked for the young Afghani to remain in custody because: “He would be a real risk to vulnerable young people in the area.”

He also asked for the remand for Oryakhail’s own protection from the girl’s family, but the magistrates emphasised this was not the reason they agreed he should remain in custody.

Oryakhail claims the girl told him she was 18 year-old and consented to sexual contact with him and voluntarily gave him her phone number.