PRAKASH GIRI AND ARJUN KHAREL SHOCK DUNOON WITH SEX CRIMES INVOLVING 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL

In June 2014, a disturbing case unfolded in Dunoon, Argyll, involving two men from Nepal who worked as chefs at a local hotel. Prakash Giri, aged 29, and Arjun Kharel, aged 28, found themselves at the center of a serious criminal investigation after they were accused of heinous sexual offenses involving underage girls.

On the night of June 28, 2012, both men encountered two teenage girls who were heavily intoxicated. The girls, who were walking along Alexandra Parade, had been drinking vodka and were described as extremely drunk at the time. The situation took a dark turn when the men allegedly took advantage of their vulnerable state. The court heard that Giri and Kharel approached the girls, who were in no condition to give consent, and engaged in sexual activities with them.

Prakash Giri denied the allegations of rape, but evidence presented during the trial revealed that his DNA was found on the underwear of the 14-year-old girl, strongly implicating him in the assault. Meanwhile, Arjun Kharel claimed that he believed the girl he engaged with was 18 years old, asserting a mistaken belief about her age. Despite this, the court was informed that the girls had been drinking heavily and were unable to give proper consent due to their intoxicated state.

The victim, a 14-year-old girl, testified that she was so drunk she could hardly walk or see clearly, and she could not remember much of what happened. She described herself as repeatedly blacking out and emphasized that she never consented to any sexual activity. Her account detailed her falling on the steps leading down to the beach, and the next thing she remembered was lying on her back with Giri on top of her, while her friend was trying to pull him away.

Her friend, also a girl, provided testimony that painted a disturbing picture. She described seeing Giri on top of her friend, and she believed they were engaged in sexual activity. She noted that her friend appeared unconscious, lying on her back, which raised serious concerns about the nature of the assault.

Adding to the gravity of the case, a 17-year-old passer-by, who was in a car nearby, became alarmed by the state of the two girls—who were naked from the waist down after the assaults—and decided to call the police. When officers arrived at the scene, they found the 14-year-old girl lying on the ground, seemingly unconscious and in a distressed state.

During the trial, Kharel admitted to having sex with the 14-year-old girl’s friend, the 14-year-old girl’s companion, but claimed he was unaware of her true age. However, the court heard that the two girls had engaged in a conversation where they asked each other their names and ages, which cast doubt on Kharel’s claim of ignorance.

Both men, who were legally residing in the UK and employed at the Dunoon hotel, were subsequently placed on the sex offenders register. The judge, Sean Murphy QC, deferred sentencing, remanding Giri in custody while allowing Kharel to remain free on bail. The case highlighted the serious issues of underage sexual exploitation and the dangers posed by intoxicated encounters, especially in vulnerable settings like beaches and public areas in Dunoon.