Assad Khan, a rapist taxi driver from Bradford has been sentenced to nine years in prison for raping a heavily inebriated lady whom he had driven home after a night out. The assault took place while the victim was nearly asleep on a sofa.
Assad Khan, an experienced cab driver with over 20 years of experience, illicitly utilised his passenger’s bank card to steal £250 from her account. Instead of withdrawing the £25 fare at a cashpoint during the early hours, he opted to commit this act of theft.
The judge at Bradford Crown Court stated today that Assad Khan forcibly entered the woman’s home without invitation and proceeded to sexually assault her while she was in a state of near-unconsciousness.
Following the assault last year, Assad Khan utilised the woman’s key to secure the front door and subsequently returned it by inserting it through the letterbox.
Upon awakening, she experienced a strong sense of disgust; however, initially, she refrained from confiding in anybody due to her overwhelming embarrassment.
Shortly after that, Assad Khan, a 55-year-old resident of John Street, Clayton, Bradford, appeared at her residence and attempted to justify his behaviour, claiming that she had the power to incriminate him.
Recorder Ben Nolan KC said he did not doubt that Assad Khan was trying to find out if she could remember what had happened and tried to persuade her not to take any action, citing his need to keep his job.
The woman reported the attack to the police, and when Assad Khan was arrested, he claimed she had consented.
A week before he was due to stand trial, Assad Khan, who is married with four children, pleaded guilty to rape and theft.
In her victim impact statement, the woman labelled Assad Khan ‘an utterly selfish and repugnant human being.’ His barrister, Michael Collins, said he had mental health difficulties that related to a tragic house fire when he was aged ten.
In a letter to the judge, Assad Khan had expressed genuine remorse.
“He looks back with shame and misunderstanding at his own conduct,” Mr Collins said.
“He can’t help as to why he committed the offence.”
Recorder Nolan said that one consultant psychiatrist believed that Assad Khan was feigning symptoms and exaggerating his behaviour.
He had shown ‘criminal guile’ in carrying out the offence and abused his position of trust as a taxi driver.
Assad Khan will have to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life, and he will also have to comply with an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
Recorder Nolan also imposed a lifelong restraining order which bans Assad Khan from having any contact with the complainant.
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