Relatives of late Egyptian student were not told about her attackers’ pre-trial hearing

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Authorities have not explained why Mariam Moustafa’s family were not informed in advance of a court hearing at which her attackers pleaded guilty to affray, their lawyer has said.

The Egyptian student fell into a coma in February 2018 after she was brutally attacked by a group of teenagers in Nottingham and later died of a stroke.

Last month, three young women pleaded guilty to affray at a pre-trial hearing at Nottingham crown court which the family was unaware was taking place.

On Monday, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) publicly apologised to Mariam’s father, Mohamed Moustafa, for not keeping him updated, adding that it had “contacted him to offer a full explanation”.

However, the family’s legal representative, Emad Abo-Houssin, said neither he nor the family had been told about the pre-trial review hearing on 16 April and had received no explanation via email, phone or letter.

“Communications between the police, the CPS and us has been very poor,” Abo-Houssin added. “I’m disappointed. I feel like both the family and myself have been neglected.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Mariam Moustafa’s parents, Mohamed Moustafa and Nessrin Abu-Elenein. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Engineering student Mariam, 18, was reportedly punched several times and dragged 20 metres during a confrontation with six girls as she waited for a bus in Nottingham city centre.

She got on a bus at the scene near Victoria Centre shopping centre, but was followed onboard by the group.

Following the attack, Mariam was treated and discharged from the Queen’s Medical Centre but was taken to Nottingham City hospital the day after, where was treated until her death on 14 March.

Six teenagers were charged with affray, three of whom admitted the charge at Nottingham youth court last year.

The others denied the allegation and were due to stand trial last week. But on 16 April Mariah Fraser, 19, Britania Hunter, 18 and a 16-year-old girl, admitted their role in the attack.

A spokesperson from the CPS said: “The prosecution team have been in regular communication with the Moustafa family throughout this case.

“We are arranging a meeting with the family to discuss in detail the change of events of the last two weeks. Our thoughts remain with them.”

The Moustafa family has requested a meeting with the CPS before the teenagers are sentenced.

A date for the sentencing is due to be fixed.