Court rejects defendant’s self-defense claims as new details emerge about confrontation that fueled a global firestorm
A Bulgarian man at the center of one of Britain’s most controversial viral incidents has been found guilty of assaulting a 12-year-old girl after a Scottish court concluded that his own conduct triggered the confrontation that later exploded across social media.
Ilia Belov, 22, was convicted this week in Dundee Sheriff Court for his role in the August 2025 incident that became known internationally as the “Scottish axe girl” case. The confrontation generated headlines around the world after a video surfaced showing a young girl brandishing an axe and a knife during a chaotic street encounter in Dundee, Scotland. (RELATED: Lola Of Dundee: A 12-Year-Old Girl Exposes Britain’s Broken Promise To Protect Its Children)
The footage attracted attention from prominent figures, including Elon Musk, and sparked fierce debate over immigration, public safety, policing, and media coverage. But the court’s findings painted a far different picture than many of the narratives that circulated online in the immediate aftermath.
Court Finds Defendant Started the Confrontation
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Belov initiated the incident by directing inappropriate sexual remarks toward the young girls.
According to testimony accepted by the court, the girls said Belov approached them and made sexually suggestive comments before the situation escalated into a heated confrontation. Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith ultimately found Belov’s version of events unreliable and rejected his claim that he acted in self-defense.
Belov admitted shoving the 12-year-old girl but claimed he did so because he believed she was carrying a knife. The court was unconvinced.
In delivering his ruling, the sheriff said the defendant’s own comments were the “trigger” for the confrontation and questioned why someone who claimed to fear being attacked would move closer to the girls and film them rather than contact police.
The court also heard that Belov summoned his sister to the scene instead of law enforcement. CCTV footage showed his sister, Nadjedzha Belova, physically attacking one of the girls by pulling her to the ground by her hair. Belova previously admitted her role in the assault.
Viral Video Fueled Global Debate
The case became an international flashpoint after video clips spread rapidly across social media.
Images of the girl holding an axe and knife quickly went viral, driving a narrative that she had been forced to defend herself against a predatory man. As influential commentators and public figures repeated those claims, the story exploded far beyond Scotland, turning a local criminal investigation into an international culture war controversy. (RELATED: Hegseth Warns ‘Dangerous Ideologies’ Are ‘Storming’ Europe During D-Day Commemoration)
At the time, Police Scotland warned that substantial amounts of far-right misinformation were circulating online about the case. Investigators said they had found no evidence supporting many of the claims gaining traction on social media, prompting criticism from some observers who argued authorities were too quick to dismiss concerns raised by the girls and their family.
Court proceedings eventually revealed a different sequence of events.
Possible Sex Offender Registration Ahead
Belov now faces sentencing later this summer and has been warned he could be placed on Scotland’s sex offenders register because of the nature of the conduct involved in the case.
The mother of the girls said she felt vindicated by the verdict, telling reporters that her daughters had been telling the truth from the beginning but struggled to have their account believed amid the intense focus on the viral video itself.
Police Scotland also pointed to the conviction as evidence that investigators continued pursuing the case even as competing narratives spread online. Chief Superintendent Elaine Logue said the incident generated significant public speculation and misinformation but ultimately resulted in criminal charges against both Belov and his sister following a review of evidence, including CCTV footage.
The case remains politically sensitive in Scotland because it became a symbol in broader debates over immigration and public safety. Yet after months of competing claims, a Scottish court has now concluded that the adult defendant — not the children — bore responsibility for setting the confrontation in motion.
READ NEXT: Trump Demands Democrat Nemesis Be Removed From Congress
