DNA found on autistic 14-year-old's clothes 'probably belonged to Afghan migrants accused of sexually assaulting her on train'

Published: 09:07 EDT, 5 November 2026 | Updated: 09:20 EDT, 5 November 2026 DNA found on the clothes of an autistic 14-year-old girl 'probably' belonged to two Afghan migrants accused of sexually assaulting her on a train, a court has heard. Baryalai Rahimi, 25, and Mirebadurahman Sadat, 29, are said to have spotted the runaway teenager at a station in rural Kent before following her on to the London-bound train on February 5. Rahimi, of Southall, west London, and Sadat, of Cricklewood, north-west London, deny a total of 20 charges, including multiple counts of sexual activity with a child.Jurors at Inner London Crown Court earlier heard that Rahimi raped the girl three times in the train toilets; Sadat is said to have assaulted the teenager twice.Forensic expert Kassandra Harris was questioned in court today about DNA found on the teenager's clothes that allegedly belonged to the two men.Sebastian Cox, defending Rahimi, said: 'Sometimes cells shed from the body can be left on surfaces?'Ms Harris replied: 'Correct.''And all it takes for there to be a DNA hit is a couple of cells on a surface picked up by a swab?' asked Mr Cox. Baryalai Rahimi and Mirebadurahman Sadat are said to have spotted the runaway teenager at a station in rural Kent before following her on to the London-bound train 'Yes, you can take DNA from a few skin cells,' Ms Harris replied.Mr Cox asked Ms Harris: 'If a person has penetrative sex, would you expect to see DNA findings from that?'She replied: 'It could be that penetrative sex has happened but the amount of female DNA in the vagina has overwhelmed the male DNA.'Mr Cox asked: 'So it is simply inconclusive whether or not that occurred?'Ms Harris replied: 'Yes, you can't say whether or not it has.'Ravindra Chandrapala, defending Sadat, asked Ms Harris: 'How many papers have you published as a scientist?'Ms Harris replied: 'I haven't published any papers as a scientist.'He asked her how many books she had published or contributed to.She replied: 'I haven't contributed to any books and I don't need to in my day to day work as a forensic scientist.'Mr Chandrapala asked her what qualifications she has to call herself an expert.The expert replied: 'I have sat the courses that are appropriate for me to call myself an expert by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service.'The barrister said: 'You cannot say that Mr Sadat's DNA is there can you?'Ms Harris: 'I can say that my findings support the fact that his DNA was present.'Jurors were played the victim's police interview in court on Wednesday.She was asked what the other passengers on the busy Southeastern service were doing when she was allegedly targeted by the two men. She replied: 'No one was really looking at us. Everyone was just on their phones.'Following their arrest, Rahimi gave police a prepared interview, claiming: 'I asked the female her age and she told me she was 17 years old.'She looked 17 to 18 years old, so I believed her. The female was the one who was very forward. What happened was all started and instigated by her and was consensual.'Meanwhile, Sadat said: 'Although I have some memory issues, I did not do what I am accused of. I deny these offences.'Rahimi denies three counts of rape, two of sexual assault, one of assault by penetration and six alternative counts of sexual activity with a child.Sadat denies two counts of assault by penetration, two of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and four alternative counts of sexual activity with a child.The trial continues and is expected to last three weeks.