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Man 'posing as Birmingham city taxi driver raped woman after tricking her into his car', court told

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/m ... d-25932778

Thasawar Iqbal of Birchdale Road, Great Barr, has denied two charges of committing an offence with intent to commit sexual assault, two charges of kidnap, two of rape, two charges of sexual assault, attempted rape and another serious sexual offence

A man posing as a taxi driver picked up two women on nights out in Birmingham raping one of them and sexually assaulting the other, it was claimed. "Sexual predator" Thasawar Iqbal tricked the women, who had been drinking, into giving them lifts, a court was told.

Timothy Harrington, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said: "He is a sexual predator. The defendant on two occasions went out in the early hours of the morning in his car into our city to find young vulnerable women, obviously in drink, to trick them into his car and pretended to be a taxi driver in order to sexually molest them.

"The two women did not know each other. On the first occasion he did sexually assault the woman who managed to get away.

"The second victim who he tricked into his car was not so lucky. She did get away but she was seriously sexually assaulted by him and ultimately raped."

Mr Harrington said the first victim had been on a night out in the city centre on December 18 2021 celebrating her birthday with friends.

He said that she then had a row with her boyfriend. Mr Harrington said: "This defendant appeared nearby in his car. The defendant told her he was a taxi driver and for that reason she decided to get into the car.

"It was not her fault but that was a mistake." Mr Harrington continued: "She got in the car before anybody could do anything and off drove the defendant in his car away from the city." He said during the journey Iqbal "turned the conversation to sexual things" telling her she was pretty and that he wanted to do sexual things with her.

Mr Harrington said the defendant offered the woman cocaine but she refused but he then put his finger in the drug and 'forced it into her mouth which upset her'. He told the court: "She realised at this stage the man was not a taxi driver and she was in real peril."

He continued: "It became worse when the defendant sexually assaulted her. He grabbed her neck and face and pulled her towards him, kissing her passionately."

Mr Harrington said Iqbal then suggested buying some more cocaine and parked outside an address. The court was told he had initially intended to lock her in the vehicle but she persuaded him to let her stand outside before getting away.

He said Iqbal had tried to follow her but she had flagged down a passer-by who later called the police. The court was told police were able to trace the defendant's vehicle through CCTV. He was interviewed but released, jurors heard.

Months later, on July 10, "the defendant was out and about and doing it again," said Mr Harrington. He said that in the early hours the second woman, who had been in the city centre, had become separated from her friends and decided to walk home.

Iqbal, he said, saw her on the A34 and 'persuaded her to get into his vehicle using the same lie'. He told the court: "Unfortunately for her, she was then subjected to a serious ordeal."

Mr Harrington said the defendant took her to a pub car park not far from where he lived, again producing some cocaine which the victim took in order to placate him. He said Iqbal also told her how attractive she was and sniffed cocaine off her leg.

The defendant, he said, touched the woman and said he wanted to have sex with her before then raping her. She eventually managed to escape and he told the court 'police were able to trace Iqbal through his phone'.

Iqbal, 40, of Birchdale Road, Great Barr, has denied, two charges of committing an offence with intent to commit sexual assault, two charges of kidnap, two of rape, two charges of sexual assault, attempted rape and another serious sexual offence.

The trial continues...

Wonder what that means, precisely?

"Oh, let's phone that chap we had in for questioning over an earlier incident. You know, the one we released. It could well be him. Maybe offering the victim cocaine is the clue regarding his modus."

'Predator' posed as Birmingham taxi driver to pick up women before horrific rape and sex assault

A "sexual predator" has been convicted of raping a woman after picking her up while claiming to be a taxi driver. Thasawar Iqbal also sexually assaulted another victim after using the same pretence.

A jury at Birmingham Crown Court found Thasawar Iqbal guilty, following a trial, of two charges of committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence, two of sexual assault, two of rape, attempted rape and another serious sexual offence. Sentence was adjourned until March 3 by Judge Francis Laird who said he would have to consider whether the defendant posed an ongoing future risk to members of the public.

He told Iqbal, who he remanded in custody: "You have been convicted by the jury of extremely serious criminal offences." The court heard that Thasawar's first victim had been on a night out in the city centre on December 18 2021 celebrating her birthday with friends.

After having a row with her boyfriend she got into the defendant's car after he claimed to be a taxi driver. Thasawar turned the conversation to sexual matters and also put his finger in some cocaine and forced it into her mouth.

He then grabbed her neck and face and pulled her towards him, kissing her. When the defendant stopped his vehicle she managed to get away.

Months later, on July 10, a woman had also been out in the city centre but had become separated from her friends and decided to walk home. Thasawar saw her on the A34 and using the same lie as he had done before persuaded her to get into his car.

Timothy Harrington, prosecuting, said he had driven her to a pub car park, offered her some cocaine, told her how attractive she was and sniffed the drug off her leg.

The defendant touched the woman and said he wanted to have sex with her before then raping her. She eventually managed to escape and police were able to trace Iqbal through his phone.

Iqbal, 40, of Birchdale Road, Great Barr, who had denied the charges, admitted picking both women up but denied anything sexual had taken place.

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IDFIMH

Dangerous fake taxi driver Thasawar Iqbal who kidnapped and raped woman after prowling clubs jailed

A 'dangerous' sex predator who raped a woman after posing as a taxi driver to trick her into his car has been jailed. Thasawar Iqbal kidnapped two vulnerable victims in a matter of months as he prowled the streets outside Birmingham city centre nightclubs during the early hours of the morning.

He took cocaine and kissed the first woman who managed to escape and call the police. The 41-year-old was arrested and bailed but went on to target the second woman using the same tactics. This time he would rape his victim multiple times.

The married man appeared 'normal' to those around him, had served as a school governor and even been commended by police for helping to stop a burglar. But he started living a double life. Following a trial Iqbal, of Birchdale Road, Erdington, was found guilty of two counts of kidnap with intent to commit a sexual offence, two counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, two counts of sexual assault and one offence of assault by penetration.

At Birmingham Crown Court today, Friday, he was sentenced to 17 years with an extended licence period of five years. Judge Francis Laird said: "I am sure, firstly, on both occasions you were driving in the city centre of Birmingham looking for vulnerable women. Secondly, your intent was to pose as a taxi driver in order to trick them into your car. Thirdly, in relation to your kidnap of the first victim your intention was to carry out a serious sexual offence."

Iqbal struck for the first time in the early hours of December 18, 2021 when he approached a woman in Digbeth. She had been on a night out when she got refused entry to a nightclub due to not having any identification.

The woman, described as 'very drunk', rowed with her boyfriend and got into Iqbal's car after he pulled up and told her he was a taxi driver. Judge Laird said: "What followed was a terrifying ordeal. You locked the doors of the car and drove some distance to a residential area.

"You drank alcohol, took cocaine and smoked cannabis on the journey. You offered her some of the cocaine and suggested that you and she should engage in sexual activity, film it and send it to her boyfriend. By this time she had realised she was in danger."

Iqbal kissed the woman who 'tricked' him into letting her out when he stopped at an address to purchase more cocaine. She ran away and hid before flagging down another driver who called the police.

The victim picked out Iqbal in an identity parade. He was released on bail whilst under investigation. By the time of the second attack, in the early hours of July 9, 2022, he had been kicked out of his home and was sleeping in his car, the court heard.

At 4.45am he targeted a woman walking alone on the A34. She had been out in Birmingham city centre but became separated from her friends with no charge left on her phone and without her bank card. Iqbal approached and again lied he was a taxi driver. The victim initially said she had no money but then he offered to give her a lift home from free.

Judge Laird said: "She too experienced a terrifying ordeal. You drove to a public car park and parked up and took some cocaine."

Iqbal proceeded to rape the woman multiple times during a 'prolonged' attack. He then put his number in her telephone and dropped her off near her home.

In emotional statements both victims detailed the long-lasting effects of their attacks, including feeling 'guilty' as well as not being able to trust taxi drivers. The first woman described her abduction and assault as a 'horrible nightmare I'm waiting to wake up from'. The second victim said: "Every day it is ruining my life."

Colin McCarraher, defending, acknowledged the probation service's assessment of Iqbal. He said: "I'm not going to convince Your Honour he's not dangerous, he is."

He added: "Something clearly triggered this man to behave the way he did. I don't know what that was. He was living a normal life. He is married.

"He has even had a commendation from the chief constable for stopping a burglar from a school where he was a governor. It is the complete opposite to what we are dealing with now."

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IDFIMH

I know many people who are married via an arranged marriage many are not happily married and often go on holiday on their own often to places where prostitutes are readily available

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

I think they are also readily available here, in numbers.

I was recently in contact with a lady who runs a charity dealing with sex workers and her estimate is that there are 105,000 sex workers in the UK, charging as little as £5 or £10 a time.

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IDFIMH