Video of rape-accused Libyan soldiers allegedly scouring Cambridge for victims released

The footage shows two men allegedly scouring the streets of Cambridge, looking for a victim

CCTV footage of two Libyan soldiers accused of rape allegedly scouring the streets of Cambridge looking for a victim has been released during their trial.

The two men, Moktar Ali Saad Mahmoud, 33, and Ibrahim Abugtila, 23, were undergoing training at RAF Bassingbourn, near Cambridge, as part of the Government's plan to help rebuild the war-torn country.

Cambridge Crown Court heard that the two men acted like "hunting dogs" when they attacked a man in Cambridge on 26 October 2011, allegedly taking it in turns to rape him in Christ's Pieces park after they left their barracks unsupervised.

Police have released footage of the two men allegedly approaching other people on the streets of Cambridge on the same night.

Police say the footage shows one of the men approaching a woman, talking to her, and standing in her way as she tries to get past him.

After she moves past, the two men then walk in the opposite direction.

At 3:26AM the two men found a "complete stranger" in the centre of the city, guiding him to the park where they had sex with him.

The men then left the scene and went to a nearby petrol station, where they called for a taxi.

The court was shown an interview with the victim who said he had been targeted by "some random guys" who did not speak English, as he walked through the city alone.

The man is in his early twenties, and cannot be named for legal reasons. He told police: "I cannot believe what I'm saying, they raped me. It was horrible, I feel horrible. Don't say anything to my mum."

He continued: "They were horrendous, they weren't human. They weren't human people. They were horrendous people, they were sick people."

"They don't deserve to live, they shouldn't be alive."

A still from the CCTV footage that shows the two Libyan soldier allegedly walking around Cambridge searching for a victim. (Cambridgeshire Police)

Opening the case, Prosecutor John Farmer said that the Libyans guided their victim to the park, "initially not using too much force and later more forcefully, kept him going in the direction they wanted him to go."

Mr Farmer said both of the soldiers accept that they had sex with the man, but they claim it was consensual. They said he made the allegation up after he stole money from them.

Three other Libyan soldiers were arrested around the same time, in connection with unrelated sex offences around the city. They admitted their crimes, and are awaiting sentencing.

All the incidents prompted the Ministry of Defence to send 300 soldiers back to Libya prematurely, ending the agreement to put 2,000 soldiers through military training, as part of an effort to help rebuild the troubled country.

Their trial is expected to end later this week.

Additional Reporting by the Press Association