3 teenage girls raped in car by seaside town sex beast who preyed on social media

A predator who used social media to lure three teenage girls, then raped them in his car using threats and violence, has been jailed for 18 years. Sahil Ali, 21, a British national from Shoreham-by-Sea, was sentenced Friday at Lewes Crown Court for the attacks. Over two years from 2022 to 2024, he contacted the girls online.

The conversations turned coercive, with demands enforced by physical force, leading to repeated sexual assaults. The court heard shocking details of the assaults: Ali drove the girls to isolated areas and raped them multiple times. He strangled one victim and sexually assaulted another by penetration.

The jury convicted him on March 6 of seven counts of rape, one count of intentional strangulation, and one count of sexual assault by penetration.

Judge Justice Rose described Ali as a “dangerous predator”. He sentenced him to 18 years in prison, with an additional five years on licence. Ali must also join the sex offenders register indefinitely and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order restricting contact with children and internet use.

Detective Superintendent Andrew Harbour of Sussex Police: “Ali preyed on vulnerable teenage girls, making demands on them and using violence to make them comply.

“The case has had a profound impact on the three victims, and I commend them for their courage to come forward and report their experiences to the police.

“We take reports of rape and sexual assault extremely seriously, and encourage anyone impacted by these offences to come forward to us and report what has happened.

“After a trial, Ali was found guilty of the offences, and he is now serving a significant custodial sentence.”

Ali was charged in July 2024 with additional offences, including nine rapes of a woman over 16, five rapes of girls aged 13 to 15, assaults by penetration, actual bodily harm, and strangulation, all in West Sussex. The three teenage victims were central to the case.

Sussex Police advises victims to call 101 for non-emergencies or 999 if they are in immediate danger. Support services, including counselling and dedicated helplines, are available.