Shame of the Halifax Taxi Trade

by **Admin** Sun 6 Jan 2008 - 4:39

Sex terror in a locked taxi

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Zafar Iqbal

By Elaine Jinks
A PERVERT taxi driver locked a terrified male passenger in his cab and sexually assaulted him.
Zafar Iqbal, 44, drove the man to a rural road before pulling off his trousers and underwear and rubbing himself against him, a court heard.
After his weeping 22-year-old victim finally got away, the cabbie – a father of four – followed him and offered him a lift home.
Iqbal, of Belmont Street, Halifax, who admitted sexually assaulting the passenger, was jailed for two years at Bradford Crown Court.
He was also put on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.
The court heard the offence occurred in the early hours of November 13 2006 when the victim got into the taxi at George Square, Halifax, after a night out with friends.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was driven to his home in Sowerby Bridge but Iqbal told him to shut the door of the taxi while he sorted some change out.
Gill Batts, prosecuting, said Iqbal made inappropriate sexual comments before driving him to Mount Tabor Road, Halifax.
She said: "The passenger had no idea where he was being taken.
"Once at the location, the defendant got into the back of the taxi and the doors were locked."
The victim was unable to escape and repeatedly told Iqbal to leave him alone.
Iqbal then pulled down his trousers and underwear and those of the victim. Miss Batts said Iqbal turned the man on to his front and then his back and rubbed his private parts against the man's hip.
Miss Batts said the passenger, of slight build, was scared and crying.
He was eventually able to get out.
Iqbal drove after him and offered him a lift home but the man refused.
He walked to a pub, called a friend and arrived home at 4.40am – ending a three- hour ordeal.

DNA taken from a semen stain on the man's trousers was found to match Iqbal.
He was arrested and intially denied the offence but later pleaded guilty.
Yunus Valli, for Iqbal, said: "He is so ashamed and that is something he has to live with for the rest of his life.
"He apologises to the court, the victim and the public."
Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC told Iqbal: "The stark reality is you had in mind an offence or act of intercourse."
He said Iqbal abused his position of trust, manhandled the victim and there was also an element of abduction and false imprisonment.
Referring to the victim, he said: "The effect of this attack on him is profound.
"He has developed a phobia of colleagues of yours in the taxi service and you have not only brought considerable shame on your family but you have brought into disrepute the very hard-working taxi drivers in this area."
A not guilty verdict was recorded on an offence of false imprisonment.