Two Syrian refugee brothers raped a 13-year-old woman seven instances

The BBC got here beneath fireplace final evening for showing to recommend {that a} woman who claimed she was sexually assaulted by two Syrian refugees – later convicted of rape – was racist.

Brothers Omar and Mohamed Badreddin appeared in a 2016 Newsnight function which adopted them on an 11-month journey from Syria to Newcastle as a part of the refugee resettlement programme.

During the filming of the documentary, described final evening by an MP as ‘fawning’, the BBC was made conscious of ongoing prison proceedings towards Omar, then aged 18, who was accused of the sexual assault of a 14-year-old-girl. 

The company was accused of sitting on this info for a number of weeks earlier than the allegations have been aired. 

Omar was discovered not responsible by a Newcastle jury that very same 12 months, regardless of there being a number of reported points with translations within the trial and ‘inconsistencies with the proof towards him’. 

Brothers Omar (left) and Mohamed Badreddin (proper) have been each jailed earlier this week

The brothers, Mohamed (left) and Omar (proper) pictured within the 2016 BBC documentary

Journalist Katie Razzall interviewed the Badreddin household following the trial, to which Omar mentioned: ‘I felt she [the accuser] did not need foreigners on this nation and that’s the reason she made up the entire story.’ 

Razzall didn’t seem to problem this, and added that Omar believed that declare to be ‘on the coronary heart of the case towards them.’

During a voiceover section, the reporter additionally claimed: ‘The Syrian males in some ways appeared much less sexually skilled than the ladies they have been speculated to have attacked.’

In a follow-up BBC article, she mentioned: ‘The household informed me ever since their son’s arrest, they’ve felt humiliated and dishonoured, although they have been sure their son was harmless. 

‘In Syrian tradition, this kind of accusation is so damaging to their repute, that although Omar Badreddin has been cleared, they concern the stigma of it’ll stick.’

The revelations come because the brothers, together with two different defendants, have been sentenced to a complete of 38-and-a-half years in jail this week for the rape of a 13-year-old woman between August 2018 and April 2019. 

Mohamed, 23, was convicted of six counts of rape and considered one of assault by penetration and was sentenced to 13 years in jail, whereas his brother Omar, 26, was convicted of 5 counts of rape and sentenced to 18 years in jail.

Omar, then aged 18, who was accused of the sexual assault of a 14-year-old-girl through the manufacturing of the documentary

During a voiceover section of the documentary it was claimed: ‘The Syrian males in some ways appeared much less sexually skilled than the ladies they have been speculated to have attacked’

Neil O’Brien MP, a Conservative former minister, mentioned: ‘The BBC confirmed remarkably poor editorial judgment in commissioning this fawning documentary, extra keen on airing an unchallenged accusation {that a} 14-year-old woman was a racist who had made up a rape accusation.

‘Given that they smeared a younger woman as sexually skilled and didn’t problem the racism accusations made by somebody who seems to be a harmful sexual predator, you’d hope there can be a bit extra contrition, however I do not see any indicators to this point that any classes are being discovered from this surprising, appalling case’.

The BBC has since mentioned in response: ‘In 2015 and 2016, Newsnight adopted the story of the Badreddin household, who have been Syrian refugees who have been settling within the UK. During the 12 months, their son Omar was tried for sexual assault and located not responsible.

‘Two years afterwards, in 2018 and 2019, Omar Badreddin and his brother Mohamed dedicated a number of counts of rape. They have been discovered responsible and have been jailed final week. The BBC reported this.

‘In any state of affairs, the BBC can solely report on the info as they stand on the time, which is what we did in 2016. The Badreddins’ subsequent crimes are appalling, and we categorical our honest sympathies to their sufferer.’