Rapist who preyed on teenager in a taxi rank after night out in Barnsley and promised to find her friends is jailed

Mohammed Elmi Mahamed approached his victim, a 19-year-old woman, at a taxi rank in Barnsley town centre in the early hours of New Year’s Day 2022.

The victim had been out celebrating the New Year with friends but had lost them earlier in the evening.

Detective Constable Becky Robinson from South Yorkshire Police said: “Our victim was alone and intoxicated, which made her vulnerable and Mahamed deliberately targeted her because of this. He told her he would take her to her friends, but this was a lie. Instead, he led her to another location where she was subjected to a horrific sexual offence.”

The woman was able to flee and run back into the town centre, where she was able to locate one of her friends and tell them what had happened.

DC Robinson continued: “We were able to quickly identify Mahamed from CCTV enquiries and he was arrested the following day, before being charged and remanded in custody until his trial this week.

“Mahamed refused to admit his crimes and therefore the victim has had to give evidence before a jury in court, which in itself is a daunting experience. I wish to commend the victim for her strength throughout our investigation.”

Mahamed, formerly of Princess Street, Barnsley, was found guilty of rape yesterday after a three-day trial at Sheffield Crown Court.