Sudanese immigrant on trial for rape after dragging student from Bournemouth nightclub

A Sudanese immigrant is on trial at Bournemouth Crown Court charged with two counts of rape after an incident in December 2021 in Bournemouth. Prosecutors say Samir Muhammad, then 20, forced a 17-year-old student to leave the Cameo nightclub and take her to his flat, where she was allegedly raped after she pleaded with him to stop. The jurors were told the girl was held in his flat for several hours, blocked from answering calls from worried friends, and eventually escaped when she was allowed to leave Sandringham House around 5:50 a.m. She has since provided police with details of the attack in a taped interview and aided investigators in tracing the defendant.

The prosecution described a sequence in which Muhammad approached the student inside the club and appeared determined to take her back to his flat. He allegedly pulled her hand toward the door even though she did not want to go, and she was said to be “so out of it” that she did not have a chance to speak with friends before they left. Witnesses said she was forced to remove her clothes, instructed to get into bed, and told to relax despite her protests. The defendant is said to have overpowered her, grabbing both wrists and restraining her as she tried to resist. Prosecutors argued that the victim was intoxicated, a factor Muhammad took advantage of, and that she was raped despite her attempts to resist. The complainant’s police interview, in which she described being held down and the assault, was played to the jury, including her account of feeling repeatedly told to “relax” and to hear the phrase “I love you” spoken as the assault continued.

The victim told investigators she had consumed only one drink but quickly felt “really drunk,” describing herself as being about seven out of ten on the intoxication scale as they left the club. She said a man she did not know began dancing behind her and later asked her to come back to his flat. She recalled the moment she realized she had little control over what was happening and that she was taken to a damp, dirty flat where she was coerced into undressing and into a bed that she did not want to share. She described being slapped and bleeding as the assault continued and said she cried and repeatedly asked to be allowed to leave, but was told she could not go. The victim said that while the assault continued, the defendant answered his phone and spoke to others in different languages, describing how he told her he loved her during the attack and said she would meet his family. She said she borrowed his charger to keep her phone alive to call for help and later used the Snapchat location feature, referred to in court as Snapcat, to alert friends to her whereabouts. She and her friends then managed to contact a passing police car, and she was able to exit the building with their help. She left the address at 5:50 a.m. and later reported the incident to police.

Muhammad denies the two rape counts, maintaining that the sexual activity was consensual. The defense contends the sex was not forced and that any actions were voluntary on the part of the complainant. The defendant’s immigration status has not been publicly disclosed in court records, and prosecutors have not indicated that it is a central element of the case. The trial at Bournemouth Crown Court is ongoing, with further testimony anticipated as the defense and prosecution continue to present their accounts of the events from December 5, 2021.

The case has drawn attention to issues surrounding consent, intoxication, and the vulnerability of young people in nightlife settings. Prosecutors emphasized the sequence of events and the victim’s repeated pleas for help, while the defense asserted that the jury should consider the possibility of mutual consent. The court has cautioned jurors to rely on the evidence presented and to avoid speculation about the victims’ or defendant’s backgrounds outside the courtroom.

As the proceedings continue, legal observers will be watching for additional details regarding timelines, communications, and any corroborating statements from witnesses or surveillance. A verdict date has not yet been set, and the judge has scheduled further hearings to consider ongoing testimony and any remaining evidence. The case remains a focal point for discussions about violence against young women, accountability, and the role of media reporting in high-profile criminal trials.