Bulgarian man who triggered 'axe girl' viral video is placed on sex offenders register after Dundee attack on children

From the Newshound archive · first published 9 October 2026 · last updated 11 October 2026.

Ilia Belov, 23, was sentenced to 18 months of supervision and 300 hours of unpaid work at Dundee Sheriff Court on Friday after being found guilty of assaulting a 12-year-old girl and behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards four girls aged between 12 and 14. Sheriff Timothy Niven-Smith placed him on the sex offenders register for 18 months, saying he was "entirely satisfied" Belov's conduct was sustained and would have had a "psychological impact" on his victims. His sister Nadjedzha Belova, 20, who pleaded guilty to pulling a 13-year-old's hair and dragging her to the ground, was sentenced to 180 hours of unpaid work.

The August 2025 attack began after Belov told a 12-year-old 'come here sexy, I'll show you how to have a good time.'

The resulting video — in which a schoolgirl brandished an axe and a knife to defend herself — was shared by Elon Musk and drew global outrage.

Police Scotland ordered a 'full review' of its handling of the incident after initially attacking what it called 'misinformation' about the video.