East Lancs taxi customers warned after attempted sexual assaultTAXI customers in East Lancashire have been told to report any inappropriate behaviour following the conviction of a cabbie.
The warning comes after 41-year-old Jamil Iqbal admitted an attempted sexual assault on an undercover police officer, 11 months after he was cleared of sexually assaulting a teenager.
Iqbal invited the woman into the front seat and made ‘overt sexual remarks’ to her. He then waved a sex toy at her, asked her to touch it, and told her he loved her.
The father-of-six, from Humphrey Street, Brierfield, was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years, with two years’ supervision.
He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and made subject to a 10-year sexual offences prevention order, banning him from applying for a taxi licence, working as a taxi driver, and from working as a driver on any other form of public transport.
Detective Chief Inspector Sion Hall said: “It is important to start by saying that the vast majority of taxi drivers are very professional and provide a key local service.
“We want local people to have full confidence in their taxi service and understand that many people, particularly women, have genuine safety concerns about travelling home, especially at night.
“I would urge anybody who has suffered any inappropriate behaviour, or anyone who has witnessed any incident of concern relating to a taxi service, to come forward.”
In February 2012, father-of-three Zameer Arshad, then 26, of Richmond Hill Street, Accrington, was jailed for three-and-a-half years after he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl he picked up in Clitheroe.
And in August 2011, Rawtenstall cabbie Shamraz Akhtar, then 28, walked free from court after admitting two counts of sexual assault on a 23-year-old woman in his taxi.
Burnley licensing enforcement officer Stephen Hindle said: “I would like to take this opportunity to remind the public that anyone thinking of using a private hire vehicle needs to pre-book the journey through an operator.
“This simple step will keep you safe and ensures that a record is made of the journey and that the vehicle and driver can be later traced if the need arises.
“If you do not make the booking then the vehicle is not covered by insurance and it becomes increasingly difficult to track down the vehicle and driver.”
source:
http://www.burnleycitizen.co.uk/news/11 ... l_assault/
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