Jailed: Rickshaw driver who sexually assaulted clubber after giving her free lift in return for 'a chat'A rickshaw driver who sexually assaulted a young clubber after offering her a free ride home has been jailed for six months.
Mohammed Hossain, 35, spotted the victim sobbing after an argument with a friend in the early hours in March.
The Bangladeshi asylum seeker lured the 21-year-old into his rickshaw with the offer of a free ride home on the condition that she would chat to him for a while.
He then clambered into the back seat to assault her, a court heard.
Patrolling police officers spotted the distressed victim stumbling out of the rickshaw near the British Museum and gave chase as Hossain pedalled off.
He was arrested further down the street and appeared to be drunk, Blackfriars Crown Court heard.
He claimed he had assaulted his passenger accidentally when he lost his balance as he looked for cigarettes on the back seat.
But a jury convicted him of sexual assault and Judge Jane Sullivan jailed him for six months.
The judge refused a prosecution application to ban him from carrying unaccompanied female passengers in any type of vehicle after a probation report deemed the risk of his reoffending was low.
She told Hosain: “At the time (the victim) was crying and really, really scared.
“Women have the right to feel safe when travelling home at night, in my view the circumstances of this offence are too serious to enable me to suspend the sentence.
“The harm lies in the fact that you offered a lift to, and then sexually assaulted, a young woman leaving a night club on her own at night.
“I have no doubt therefore that this offence crosses the custody threshold because of the level of culpability and because of the vulnerability of the complainant.
“You are an educated Bangladeshi of previous good character and arrived here last year seeking asylum.
“I accept that you have struggled with the repercussions of this offence for which you have shown some remorse and I take this into account when sentencing you.”
Hossain, of Plaistow, will remain on the sex offenders’ register for a minimum of seven years.
He is currently appealing a failed application for asylum, the court heard.
source:
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/ja ... 95456.html
Login
Register
FAQ
