Locations
Georgina Court, Bolton, BL3
Description
Sultani Bakatash (21/03/1997) of Georgina Court, Bolton, an Afghan national, has today (03/07/2026) been convicted after an incident in Bolton in December 2025.
Bakatash groomed a young girl online, invited her and a friend to his address, and plied them both with alcohol before raping them.
On Saturday 6 December 2025, officers responded to reports of a rape against two teenage girls in the Deane area.
Following an intense investigation led by our Child Protection Investigation Unit (CPIU), it was found that Bakatash had been in contact with one of the girls via Snapchat before luring her and a friend to his address under false pretences. When they arrived, Bakatash plied them with alcohol, and assaulted them both whilst they were unconscious.
After both survivors bravely disclosed the rape shortly later, an investigation was launched and officers acted immediately to locate and arrest Bakatash. The offender fled the scene, but swift work from our officers led to Bakatash in our custody by the early hours of Sunday morning (07/12/2025).
The offender was subsequently charged with two counts of rape of a girl aged under 16, one count of sexual assault, and one count of assault by penetration.
After a four week trial at Bolton Crown Court, Bakatash was found guilty on all counts, and is due to be sentenced on Wednesday 9 September at Bolton Crown Court.
Chief Superintendent Helen Critchley, District Commander for Bolton said:
"I would like to thank both survivors for their immense bravery during these proceedings. Their unwavering strength and courage has been instrumental in securing this conviction.
"Bakatash denied all counts against him. He denied manipulating, grooming and assaulting both girls. He denied the pain and hurt he subjected them to. He showed a blatant disregard for his actions and the long term impact this would have on the victims. But today a jury rightfully found him guilty on all counts.
"This trial will have been no doubt a difficult time for the girls and their families, and it is only with their support that we have managed to keep Bakatash behind bars.
"I'd also like to thank the CPIU for their hard work and swift actions throughout this investigation, which ensured Bakatash was in our custody within 48 hours of the incident first being reported.
"Our specialist officers will continue to work with the survivors to ensure they are receiving the best support possible. No one should ever be subjected to this kind of abuse and my thoughts remain firmly with them as they continue their recovery.
"We hope this outcomes sends a clear message that we will relentlessly pursue those who harm vulnerable people.
"I urge anyone who may have experienced similar abuse to please come forward and report. You will always be listened to, respected, and supported."