Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver jailed after sex attack

By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner


A TAXI driver who forced a girl passenger to the ground before sexually assaulting her has been jailed for two years.

The 17-year-old Huddersfield girl had been on a night out in the town centre and was drunk when she got into Rezwan Ilyas's taxi in the early morning.

She was in the front seat and had her eyes shut when Ilyas - aged 23 and of Yews Hill Road, Lockwood - started touching her thigh.

Ben Crossland, prosecuting, told Bradford Crown Court that the girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, started to feel uneasy as they approached her house.

When she got out of the cab she dropped her bag, spilling its contents.

When she tried to make her way up the drive Ilyas - a married father-of-one - blocked her path.

Mr Crossland said Ilyas grabbed her jacket and pulled the terrified girl, who fell to the ground.

She tried to get up, but Ilyas pulled her back down and knelt over her as he tried to kiss her.

He then pulled her top and bra down and started kissing her breasts, the court was told.

The girl eventually shook her attacker off and fled up the drive.

Her father saw her in a distressed state and called the police.

Ilyas was arrested when police noticed his taxi matching the one the girl had described a few days later.

At first Ilyas said the girl had been flirting with him.

He said she had no money and had been showing sexual interest in him.

He was charged after his DNA was found on her clothing.

He pleaded guilty to sexual assault and a further charge of theft after the girl's mobile phone was found in his car.

In mitigation, Abdul Iqbal told the court that his client's behaviour had been outrageous. He could not be excused.

Mr Iqbal added that the local Muslim community was "ashamed and embarrassed". He urged the court to consider a community penalty.

But Mr Justice Royce said the offence was so serious that only a custodial sentence was justified.

He told Ilyas his behaviour on that night in July had been "disgraceful".

The judge added: "You took advantage of a 17-year-old girl who was very much worse for drink.

"This was clearly a highly distressing and frightening experience for that young girl.

"It will live with her for a very long time indeed," the judge said.

Ilyas was also told that he would have to sign on the sex offenders' register for the next 10 years.

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