Sultani Bakatash

Sultani Bakatash, 29, was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment at Bolton Crown Court following a four-week trial. He was found guilty of two counts of rape, one count of sexual assault, and one count of assault by penetration against two 14-year-old girls.

The court heard that Bakatash met the victims via social media and invited them to his home in Bolton, where he encouraged them to consume vodka until they were intoxicated and passing in and out of consciousness. The prosecution stated that Bakatash exploited their condition to commit the offences. Judge Kenderik Horne, presiding, noted that Bakatash used force to overcome the girls, who were unable to resist due to their level of intoxication.

Throughout the legal proceedings, Bakatash provided inconsistent accounts, initially claiming consensual sexual activity before later denying any such activity took place. A probation report presented to the court assessed Bakatash as posing a high risk to women and girls. In addition to the custodial sentence, the court addressed the possibility of future deportation, noting that while the defendant may be eligible for removal after serving two-thirds of his sentence, his previous service with the British Army in Afghanistan may impact this outcome.