The BBC came under fire last night for appearing to suggest that a girl 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 feature which followed them on an 11-month journey from Syria to Newcastle as part of the refugee resettlement programme.
During the filming of the documentary, described last night by an MP as ‘fawning’, the BBC was made aware of ongoing criminal proceedings against Omar, then aged 18, who was accused of the sexual assault of a 14-year-old-girl.
The corporation was accused of sitting on this information for several weeks before the allegations were aired.
Omar was found not guilty by a Newcastle jury that same year, despite there being several reported issues with translations in the trial and ‘inconsistencies with the evidence against him’.
Journalist Katie Razzall interviewed the Badreddin family following the trial, to which Omar said: ‘I felt she [the accuser] didn’t want foreigners in this country and that is why she made up the whole story.’
Razzall did not appear to challenge this, and added that Omar believed that claim to be ‘at the heart of the case against them.’
During a voiceover segment, the reporter also claimed: ‘The Syrian men in many ways appeared less sexually experienced than the girls they were supposed to have attacked.’
In a follow-up BBC article, she said: ‘The family told me ever since their son’s arrest, they have felt humiliated and dishonoured, even though they were certain their son was innocent.
‘In Syrian culture, this type of accusation is so damaging to their reputation, that even though Omar Badreddin has been cleared, they fear the stigma of it will stick.’
The revelations come as the brothers, along with two other defendants, were sentenced to a total of 38-and-a-half years in jail this week for the rape of a 13-year-old girl between August 2018 and April 2019.
Mohamed, 23, was convicted of six counts of rape and one of assault by penetration and was sentenced to 13 years in prison, while his brother Omar, 26, was convicted of five counts of rape and sentenced to 18 years in jail.
Neil O’Brien MP, a Conservative former minister, said: ‘The BBC showed remarkably poor editorial judgment in commissioning this fawning documentary, more interested in airing an unchallenged accusation that a 14-year-old girl was a racist who had made up a rape accusation.
‘Given that they smeared a young girl as sexually experienced and failed to challenge the racism accusations made by someone who turns out to be a dangerous sexual predator, you would hope there would be a bit more contrition, but I don’t see any signs so far that any lessons are being learned from this shocking, appalling case’.
The BBC has since said in response: ‘In 2015 and 2016, Newsnight followed the story of the Badreddin family, who were Syrian refugees who were settling in the UK. During the year, their son Omar was tried for sexual assault and found not guilty.
‘Two years afterwards, in 2018 and 2019, Omar Badreddin and his brother Mohamed committed multiple counts of rape. They were found guilty and were jailed last week. The BBC reported this.
‘In any situation, the BBC can only report on the facts as they stand at the time, which is what we did in 2016. The Badreddins’ subsequent crimes are appalling, and we express our sincere sympathies to their victim.’
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
