Minicab driver jailed for sexually abusing teenager with learning difficulties on trip to collegeA VULNERABLE teenage girl, who was sexually abused by a minicab driver taking her to college, has suffered a "catalogue of damage," a crown court judge said.
Judge Roger Thomas QC told 42-year-old Mohammed Adrees he had destroyed the disadvantaged girl's efforts to be more independent.
The victim, who has learning difficulties, was traumatised and had become withdrawn, moody and emotional, said Judge Thomas, the Recorder of Bradford.
Jailing Adrees for three years, Judge Thomas said: "Her independence has been shot and she spends most of her time by herself in her room - a terrible catalogue of the damage you have done to her with this offending."
Judge Thomas said Adrees had abused the girl while in a position of trust, and said it was unthinkable that the defendant would be licensed to drive hackney carriages or private vehicles again.
"I would be staggered if they even contemplated it, and I am sure they won't," the judge said.
Adrees, of Ryan Street, West Bowling, Bradford, had been found guilty, by a majority, at a trial last month, of sexual assault and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.
Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday that Adrees had worked as a private hire driver for nine years and had no previous convictions.
The 18-year-old complainant had learning difficulties and had to be transported daily from her home in Bradford to a special education college in the Halifax area. She was provided, through the local authority, with transport by the private hire company Adrees worked for.
Adrees had not driven the complainant before the week the offences occurred, in April last year.
She normally sat in the back seat, but the defendant "inveigled" her to sit in the front seat so he could abuse her. He talked to her about personal matters about her boyfriend and then, under the pretext of reaching for his cigarette lighter, he put his hand down the back of her trousers and touched her bottom. Adrees then made her touch him indecently.
Judge Thomas said it was a "very upsetting and disgusting piece of conduct for her."
The judge said the victim had been in her last year at college and, with enormous support from her family, had begun to live something of an independent life and come to terms with the disadvantages from which she suffered.
Judge Thomas added: "All that progress she was making, you have destroyed."
Adrees's barrister, Kate Batty, said her client was a father-of-four and of good character.
Detective Inspector Ryan Bragg, of Bradford District CID, said after the case: "This was a shocking abuse of trust by Adrees, who as a taxi driver, had a duty of care to look after his vulnerable passenger.
"We would like to thank her for coming forward and hope that today's sentence gives her some comfort."
He encouraged other victims of sexual abuse to contact the police.
Speaking after the case, Councillor Ralph Berry, Bradford Council's executive member for health and social care, said: "Our thoughts go out to the young person involved in this distressing case.
"The driver was put through the appropriate criminal records checks, although sadly these checks were unable to predict his future conduct. He was removed from duty right away and we reported the incident to the police as soon as it came to light.
"We do everything in our powers to ensure people are kept safe at all times and we put contract drivers through compulsory training which includes child sexual exploitation and safety issues."
source:
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/n ... o_college/
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