Father of Sutton Coldfield woman sexually assaulted by minicab driver issues warning to partygoersTHE father of a Sutton Coldfield woman sexually assaulted by an Erdington minicab driver as he drove her home after a night out said he felt 'justice was done' after the attacker was convicted.
A jury at Warwick Crown Court took just 80 minutes to reject driver Manazar Khan's claims that it was his victim who had come on to him during the journey.
Khan, aged 30, of Holte Road, Aston, Birmingham, had denied charges of sexual assault and assault by penetration.
Following his conviction on both charges, the case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared – but Recorder Steven Evans warned him: "A custodial sentence is inevitable."
The woman's father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: "I am pleased that justice has been done. If he had been found not guilty I would have been concerned about where I go from there with my daughter and worried about other people getting into his minicab, where he was in a position of massive trust.
"I'm a strong practising Christian and I do have faith and belief and I pray for him and his family that he will repent for his sins and god will forgive him."
During the trial, prosecutor Peter Cooper said that in July last year a young woman went out with friends in Tamworth, and then decided to make her way back to Sutton Coldfield to meet up with her sister and go to a night club.
She phoned Khan, who worked for Erdington-based Galaxy minicabs, and whose mobile number she had been given after leaving her phone in his car on a previous occasion.
After returning her phone to her, Khan had encouraged her to call him direct when she needed a minicab, rather than going through the Galaxy switchboard.
He picked her up from a pub in Tamworth – but on the way back to Sutton Coldfield, instead of taking a more direct route, he went past the Belfry golf course.
Khan, who had told her during the journey that she was beautiful, then turned down a farm track off Grove Lane, Wishaw, where he pulled up and turned off the engine.
When she asked why he had stopped, he told her 'Let's just chill for five minutes,' and leaned over and kissed her.
Ignoring her when she said she wanted to go, he climbed over from the driver's seat and reclined her seat before sexually assaulting her.
In her video-recorded police interview, which was played to the jury, the young woman said Khan then undid his trousers and asked her to touch him, but she refused.
Fortunately, another car came down the track with its headlights on; and Khan got back into the driver's seat and drove off. His victim asked to be taken home, rather than to the night club in Sutton Coldfield town centre, and he drove her there – but waited outside while she went in.
Mr Cooper said: "She was in the house only for a couple of minutes and then, very unwisely, she did get back in the minicab and he drove her into Sutton Coldfield. There was no further attempt to assault her, and she arrived at the night club at about 1.15am."
Explaining why she had got back into Khan's car, the woman explained that if she had called the minicab firm they would have sent the nearest vehicle, which would have been Khan anyway.
She had not decided at that stage to report what had happened, but did so after her sister and one of their friends realised she was upset and asked her what was wrong.
Following his arrest, Khan insisted there had been nothing sexual between them that night and denied driving down the track. But when he was interviewed again in November, he made no comment after it was pointed out that scientific tests had shown traces of his DNA on her underwear and her DNA on his shirt.
In court, Khan accepted something had happened between them – but claimed it was she who had come on to him 'in a very obvious way' while he was driving. He claimed she had tried to climb on top of him while he was driving, but that he did not want any sexual activity with her and had pushed her off.
The victim's father told the Observer that his daughter, who was 23 at the time, said 'it was horrific when it happened'. He said: "For the first two or three months it affected her quite badly. If someone put their arm on her she would jump. She has since changed her job and works in a different place."
And the victim's father was keen to give advice to anyone booking a minicab after stating he felt guilty neither he nor her mother or step parents were available to pick her up.
"If your daughter or son is going anywhere they need to book a minicab. Then there is a record of where they are being picked up from and being taken to.
"Don't get a minicab on your own and never sit next to the minicab driver. Sit in the back. Text someone to say you are on your way.
"Make sure the doors aren't locked. I know they are in a Hackney cab but you're in a safer environment there. Always have your phone to hand. If you suspect anything don't hesitate to contact 999. They can always trace the call.
"Always book the minicab through the booking office. If you call the minicab driver direct you are not insured if there's an accident."
Khan was refused bail this week and has been remanded in custody until his sentencing hearing, a date that has yet to be confirmed.
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