Giving evidence yesterday with the help of a translator, he told Bolton Crown Court (pictured) that he felt “uncontrollably sleepy” at the time of the alleged attack.
An Afghan migrant has claimed he was under the influence of “the devil” when he raped two 14-year-old girls after drinking vodka with them at his flat in Bolton. Sultani Bekataş, 29, is currently on trial, facing multiple charges including rape and sexual assault, according to the Daily Mail.Baktas moved to the UK in 2022 seeking asylum. He pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and other sexual crimes. He stated before the court that he had served in the British Army for seven years before arriving in the United Kingdom and that he had fled Afghanistan due to the presence of the Taliban.During his testimony, Baktas described feeling “uncontrollably sleepy” on the day of the events. He claimed that he initially invited the girls to his apartment after they asked for food.
The court heard he met one of the girls outside a McDonald’s restaurant after a gym session and later reconnected with her in an Asda store. Thinking the girls were 18 or 19 years old, he agreed to buy food for them as he had promised.The situation escalated when Bakatash bought three bottles of vodka for the girls, insisting that he himself did not drink alcohol because of his Islamic faith. He recounted that the girls ordered an Uber to his apartment and were in high spirits during the trip, taking selfies and laughing.
Once they arrived, the young girls began drinking vodka mixed with soft drinks. Baktas claimed that he was affected by the weather and took a sip from one of the bottles. “I think the devil got hold of me and I drank from the bottle,” he said.As the trio continued to drink, Bakatash began to feel dizzy and nauseous, saying: “I felt so bad” and found himself feeling sleepy. He explained that the girls then began “sexy dancing” and kissing, which he joined in before he felt himself fading and losing consciousness.His lawyer, Omar Shehzad, pressed him to ask if anyone had done anything to him during the ordeal. “I can’t say,” Bekatash responded. When asked about his understanding of the girls’ actions, he similarly admitted that he was unsure, saying: “I wasn’t in it myself.”The accused expressed that his initial invitation to the girls to see his apartment and enjoy drinks was motivated by a simple promise to buy them food. However, he finds himself facing serious charges that change the course of his life.
