Sahil Ali, 21, joined Brighton as an academy player in 2013, but was jailed this year for a series of horrifying rapes which saw him targeting vulnerable young women
A Premier League rising star is today unmasked as a serial rapist after he was jailed for 18 years.
Sahil Ali bragged about signing for Brighton in online posts before he raped three vulnerable young women between 2022 and 2024. Ali, 21, joined the top-flight club as an academy player in 2013, before claiming online he joined the senior squad in 2017 and had spells at Millwall and Barnet.
His profile suggests he joined the ranks at a time when ex-Brighton managers Chris Hughton and Gus Poyet were in charge. But a court has now heard he used violence, threats and drugs to rape and sexually abuse three women in Sussex, the youngest of whom was only 15. Ali was found guilty at Lewes Crown Court of seven rapes, intentional strangulation and sexual assault by penetration.
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The predator, from West Sussex, was sentenced to 18 years with a further five years on licence for dangerousness earlier this year. A judge told him: “You had a career as professional footballer ahead of you which will now be lost.” After leaving the Albion, Ali played for Millwall and Barnet. Lewes Crown Court heard the serial rapist preyed on vulnerable, young women.
Beverly Cripps, prosecuting, said the three young women were all vulnerable and not capable of looking after themselves and their safety. The rapes all took place in car parks. When Sahil Ali was arrested on two occasions, he denied all the allegations, Ms Cripps said.
Ali was bailed by police twice before he was finally charged. The first rape was in 2022, when he was only 18 years old. His first victim was only 17. She told police being attacked by Ali was the “most violent thing I have ever experienced”.
“He’s a pathetic little boy who wanted to feel powerful,” she said. The second victim was 29 but with a mental age of someone much younger, the court heard. Ali took money from her and made revenge porn threats while he was on bail. His third victim was only 15.
He raped her twice during violent, drug fuelled attacks and was arrested and bailed again. Ali throttled her to the point where she could not breathe, the court heard. She said: “I wanted to be a dentist. I was achieving in school. I was 15. He was 19. I stopped going to school. My friends would ask me about bruises. It has affected everyone around me. I still struggle with sleeping and have flashbacks of him strangling me.”
Judge Christine Laing KC told Ali his utterly unrestrained behaviour despite being on bail and his attitude to the offences and victims was very disturbing. “I detect no real remorse from you,” the judge said. “Other than for the position you now find yourself in, you take no responsibility for your actions, blaming porn, your victims and the minimisation of your behaviour [is] quite breathtaking.
“You seemed wholly unconcerned about your behaviour. You still do not have any appreciation of the gravity of your offending. Your own moral compass is clearly set seriously askew. You had a career as professional footballer ahead of you which will now be lost.”
Following the sentencing, Det Supt Andrew Harbour said: “Ali preyed on vulnerable teenage girls, making demands on them and using violence to make them comply. The case has had a profound impact on the three victims, and I commend them for their courage to come forward and report their experiences to the police.
“We take reports of rape and sexual assault extremely seriously, and encourage anyone impacted by these offences to come forward to us and report what has happened. After a trial, Ali was found guilty of the offences, and he is now serving a significant custodial sentence.”
Ali was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, restricting his access to children and computer equipment, was also imposed until further order. The sentencing hearing was made on June 26 at Lewes Crown Court but could not be revealed until later for legal reasons.
Brighton and Hove Albion FC declined to comment. A spokesman for Barnet FC said: “We have thousands of players registered through third party educational establishments. We don’t always have a direct liaison with these players and any contact is normally limited towards coaching and football development.”
Millwall FC were approached for comment.
