Story By: Koen Berghuis, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: CEN
A Syrian who allegedly raped a teenager outside a nightclub along with 10 of his friends after drugging her has blamed the woman in court saying she “demanded” sex with the group.
The trial of the 11 suspects, aged between 18 and 30, got underway on 26th June in Freiburg, a university city in the south-western German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.
According to reports, eight suspects are Syrian while one is from Algeria, another from Iraq and one is a German national.
Pictures Credit: CEN
Local media said that 20 police officers had to bring the defendants to the court benches as they resisted, with one suspect showing the middle finger and shouting: “Whoever photographs me will go to hell!”
The alleged ringleader, identified as 23-year-old Majd H., has a criminal record, according to prosecutors.
The 18-year-old victim reportedly got to know Majd H. during a night out in a Freiburg techno club on 13th October last year.
Pictures Credit: CEN
His lawyer Joerg Ritzel claimed that the victim had consensual sex with all the suspects.
He said: “The alleged perpetrator claims that sexual intercourse was not only consensual, but that she massively demanded it.”
Robert Phleps, the lawyer of another defendant, also claimed his client’s innocence using the same allegation, according to reports.
Phleps said: “All the accused have claimed that the victim wholly demanded it.”
Picture Credit: CEN
However, prosecutors are certain the incident was not consensual as the victim was crying throughout the alleged gang rape ordeal, according to the indictment.
According to the indictment, Majd H. drugged the victim with an ecstasy pill and also spiked her drink with an unspecified substance.
He then reportedly lured the young woman outside under the pretext of showing her a tattoo on his thigh. When she turned to go back into the club, he allegedly grabbed her from behind, tore off her skirt and underwear and raped her.
Afterwards, Majd H. went back into the club and reportedly told his friends that “a woman you can f*ck” is waiting outside.
Two of the defendants reportedly raped her simultaneously during an ordeal that is said to have lasted two and a half hours.
In that time, the drugged victim is said to have scratched and hit some suspects, but her attempts at self-defence were overcome with force, according to reports.
The suspects were reportedly identified through DNA samples and witness accounts, including nightclub staff.
Majd H., who is reportedly pictured in Syria with a machine gun on his social media profile, came to Germany in 2014 and has already has one conviction in the European country that took him in.
Local media quoted his father as saying: “Majd became more aggressive after we fled and he has been in trouble with the police. He already has one conviction because he hurt someone.”
The trial is ongoing.
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