Dundee, Scotland – A 22-year-old man, Ilia Belov, has been found guilty in a Scottish courtroom following a street encounter that escalated from alleged sexual remarks directed at children into a physical assault. The incident, which involved a viral video featuring a minor holding an axe, led to Belov's conviction after a sheriff rejected his account of events. His sister, Nadjedzha Belova, 20, had already admitted her involvement in the assault. Both siblings are scheduled to appear at Dundee Sheriff Court on August 5 to receive their sentences.
"I am entirely satisfied by proof beyond reasonable doubt that the trigger for all of this were the comments that you made." — Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith, Dundee Sheriff Court
The confrontation, which gained significant public attention last year, began when Belov passed a group of girls, aged between 12 and 14, on foot. According to testimony presented in court, Belov initiated the interaction by saying, "hello sexy, I’ll show you a good time." One of the girls reportedly responded by calling him a "creep." Rather than continuing on his way, Belov stopped, turned back, and then used his phone to call his sister, Nadjedzha Belova.
Upon her arrival, Belova immediately engaged with the group, attacking one of the young girls by seizing her by the hair, dragging her to the ground, and striking her head. Following his sister's actions, Ilia Belov pushed a 12-year-old girl to the ground. The court heard conflicting accounts regarding the possession of weapons during the incident.
During his trial, Belov maintained that the girls had directed ethnic slurs at him and accused him of following them. He swore on his faith that he never made any sexual remarks, asserting that he returned to the group because he refused to be disrespected. Belov also claimed he called his sister because the crowd of girls had grown, making him feel outnumbered, and that he only pushed the 12-year-old after spotting a knife tucked behind her back. Indeed, a knife was present, as was an axe.
However, the 12-year-old girl who possessed the weapons offered a different narrative to the court. She testified that she only retrieved the knife and axe after Belov had already knocked her down, and that the weapons had not been displayed prior to that moment. She further detailed the physical altercation, stating that Belova had pushed her and thrown her sister to the ground. When she attempted to intervene, Belov shoved her in the head, causing her head to strike a handrail. Belov then filmed her holding the knife and axe on his phone. Both weapons were later recovered from a nearby roundabout.
Prosecutor Michael Robertson challenged Belov on fundamental aspects of his conduct. Robertson questioned Belov's decision not to simply walk away from the escalating situation, given his status as an adult. Belov responded, "You are right. I needed to know why they are disrespecting me for no reason." Robertson then inquired why Belov's first call was to his sister rather than to the police. Belov stated, "I thought we were in danger."
Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith ultimately found Belov's defense unconvincing. He characterized the girls' testimony as "eloquent" and completely dismissed Belov’s claim of self-defense. Delivering his verdict, Sheriff Niven-Smith stated, "I am entirely satisfied by proof beyond reasonable doubt that the trigger for all of this were the comments that you made."
Following the verdict, the mother of one of the girls spoke to BBC Scotland News, expressing relief and vindication. "They were telling the truth and they were slandered," she remarked, adding, "There were too many lies at the start, so I’m glad it’s all come out." She described the experience of watching CCTV footage of her daughter being "dragged about" in court as "heartbreaking."
The Belov siblings, identified as Bulgarians Ilia Belov and Nadjedzha Belova in a social media post by David Atherton on February 7, 2026, which also mentioned the victims Lola and Ruby Moir went viral in August 2025, are now awaiting their sentencing.
