Seven people have been charged following a child sex abuse investigation in Bristol

Seven men have been charged with more than 40 crimes against 11 teenagers following an investigation into child sexual exploitation in Bristol.

The alleged crimes occurred between 2022 and 2025, when the victims were in their mid-to-late teens.

Police said an investigation into claims of gang-based sexual exploitation in the city will begin in late 2023.

The men were arrested in April 2024 and granted bail, but were re-arrested yesterday and are due to appear at Bristol Magistrates' Court this morning.

The seven men charged are:

Mohammed Arafe, 19, a Syrian, faces six counts of child sexual exploitation and one count of sexual assault. He also faces two counts of supplying cocaine and ecstasy.

20-year-old Iranian Sina Omari faces two counts of rape, five counts of child sexual abuse, two counts of making indecent images of a child, and two counts of supplying cocaine and ecstasy.

21-year-old Syrian national Wadi Sharaf faces one count of rape, one count of attempted rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of sexual intercourse with a child.

19-year-old British national Hussein Bashar faces one count of rape.

21-year-old British national Mohammed Kurdi faces two counts of rape, two counts of sexual exploitation of children, and two counts of supplying ecstasy and marijuana.

19-year-old Iraqi national Sardam Ahmed faces four counts of rape, one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of distributing indecent images of a child, and two counts of supplying cocaine and ecstasy.

26-year-old Egyptian Ihab al-Essawi faces two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.

Six of the seven men named by police live in Bristol. The other, Sardam Ahmed, has no fixed abode.

Officers said safety measures and support have been provided to the victims.

Superintendent Deepak Kent said the case would be a "huge blow to our communities," but they are working "tirelessly" to prevent child sexual exploitation in the city.

He said, "We have held events in Bristol city center and continue to work with hotels, taxi drivers, and other businesses to raise awareness about the signs of exploitation and the need to report any concerns or problems to the police."