18-year-old Mariam Moustafa died three weeks after she was attacked by a group of six women and girls
The attack happened in Nottingham city centre in February and left the Egyptian-Italian engineering student, who had a place to study at the University of London, in a coma. She later died from a stroke whilst she was in hospital three weeks after the beating took place.
Six teenagers have now been summoned to court where they will answer to charges of affray. Three 17-year-olds, two 15-year-olds and one 19-year old woman will appear at Nottingham Magistrates Court on September 27.
Mariam was punched, stamped on and dragged 20m along the ground by the group whilst on Parliament Street, outside the Victoria Centre in Nottingham. When she attempted to board the 27 bus to escape she was followed onboard by the gang, where they continued to be threatening and abusive towards her. It was only the intervention of a man called Pablo that eventually stopped her assailants.
Chief Superintendent Rob Griffin said in a statement: “Nottinghamshire Police, working closely with colleagues from the East Midlands Major Crime Unit, have carried out a thorough and professional investigation into this case. During the investigation, we have meticulously gathered all of the available evidence.
“We have now provided the CPS with all of that evidence, so that they can now consider it and reach a decision over the next steps in the case.
“I have been in regular contact with Mariam’s family and their legal representative and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been in close touch with Egyptian authorities over the course of the last five months to keep them fully informed of the progress of the investigation.”
Mariam’s death sparked outrage in Egypt, and one of her relatives told JOE that the family were “distraught” with the lack of attention the case has attracted and perceived “negligence” exhibited by the authorities.
“Imagine the outrage if a British girl was attacked by six Muslim, Arab immigrants,” she said.
Her mother also said that she was previously abused in the street by the same gang but that the police failed to act, whilst her father released an emotional statement demanding answers to 26 questions.
