Ten years for cab driver in sickening rape case

Bradford Crown Court heard that father-of-four Mohammed Ahmed targeted his vulnerable victim, who was sitting on a wall waiting for another cab, because he knew he could overpower her in the back of his vehicle.

Judge John Potter said the 19-year-old victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was driven to a deserted area near her home last October and subjected to a "sickening, prolonged and terrible ordeal".

The young mother, who the court heard was on her first big night out after suffering post natal depression, was raped twice by Ahmed.

Ahmed, 42, was last month convicted after a trial of two charges of rape.

At Bradford Crown Court yesterday, Judge Potter said it was clear that the defendant's actions had caused significant harm to his victim.

"In the course of working that night you targeted a lone, 19-year-old female who was waiting for another taxi that she had ordered," Judge Potter told Ahmed through an interpreter.

"I say targeted her because you deliberately stopped to pick her up in your taxi knowing that she had not booked your taxi and that it was unlawful for you to take her as a fare.

"This targeting of her led you, in my judgement, to the view that you could satisfy your dreadful and abusive need for sexual gratification on her. A young woman who you knew you could overpower in your taxi meeting little by way of resistance."

The judge said Ahmed, of Clifton Villas, Manningham, Bradford, had made matters worse by compelling his victim to relive her ordeal in graphic detail during the trial last month and trying to damage her reputation in evidence to the jury.

Judge Potter noted that the victim's mother had also suffered distress and harm by giving evidence during the trial at Bradford Crown Court.

He added: "It is quite apparent to me from hearing and seeing you give evidence that you have not the slightest piece of remorse for your victim."

The judge said Ahmed had suggested his victim had initiated sex with him.

"This warped sense of the truth is illustrative of the complete disdain you have shown your victim in this case," added Judge Potter.

The judge said the facts of the case showed Ahmed had the ability to be a predatory sexual offender, but he drew back from assessing him as a dangerous defendant after hearing he had no previous convictions.

Instead, he imposed a prison sentence of 10 years and ordered Ahmed to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

The judge also imposed an indefinite sexual offences prevention order which includes a ban on Ahmed ever working as a cab driver again.

Ahmed's barrister, Sophie Drake, said he had worked as a cab driver for five years and in a letter from his wife he was described as a hard-working, family man. In her letter, Ahmed's wife expressed her sorrow for the trauma suffered by the victim and her family.

Speaking after the hearing, Detective Sergeant Suzanne Hall, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "Through this woman's courage in reporting this offence to the police and giving evidence in court Ahmed is no longer a danger.

"We can assure victims we will always do everything in our power to investigate offences such as these and bring offenders such as Ahmed to justice."