AN asylum seeker from Somalia who found work as a taxi-driver sexually assaulted a woman passenger on her way to Temple Meads railway station, a court heard.
Abukar Jimale, 46, of Halston Drive, St Pauls, Bristol had been found guilty of sexual assault and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without her consent on January 16.
The father of four was convicted by a Bristol crown court jury last month and appeared for sentence yesterday at Gloucester crown court.
The court heard how Jimale picked up the woman in Bath Road, Bristol at 2am and offered to drive her to the station.
But, on the way, he stopped the car, invited her back to his flat and then drove past the station where he stopped the car by the side of the road and assaulted her.
He forcibly kissed her, plunging his tongue down her throat and then forced her to hold his penis inside and outside of his trousers, the court heard.
Defending counsel said that Jimale, who left Somalia in 2001 because he was being persecuted and sought asylum in the UK, was a hard-working father who had lost his job and good name as a result of the offences.
But his wife still supported him and attended court yesterday with other faily members and friends.
It was an opportunistic offence, said his defence barrister.
Recorder Peter Towler told the defendant: "You were a private hire taxi-driver and should only have accepted pre-booked fares but you picked up this vulnerable woman who had been drinking and proceeded to assault her.
"When she managed to get out of your car she photographed your number plate with her mobile phone and reported you to the police.
"This was a clear breach of trust."
Jimale was given a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years, ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work, given a two-year supervision order and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.
Abukar Jimale, 46, of Halston Drive, St Pauls, Bristol had been found guilty of sexual assault and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without her consent on January 16.
The father of four was convicted by a Bristol crown court jury last month and appeared for sentence yesterday at Gloucester crown court.
The court heard how Jimale picked up the woman in Bath Road, Bristol at 2am and offered to drive her to the station.
But, on the way, he stopped the car, invited her back to his flat and then drove past the station where he stopped the car by the side of the road and assaulted her.He forcibly kissed her, plunging his tongue down her throat and then forced her to hold his penis inside and outside of his trousers, the court heard.
Defending counsel said that Jimale, who left Somalia in 2001 because he was being persecuted and sought asylum in the UK, was a hard-working father who had lost his job and good name as a result of the offences.
But his wife still supported him and attended court yesterday with other faily members and friends.
It was an opportunistic offence, said his defence barrister.
Recorder Peter Towler told the defendant: "You were a private hire taxi-driver and should only have accepted pre-booked fares but you picked up this vulnerable woman who had been drinking and proceeded to assault her.
"When she managed to get out of your car she photographed your number plate with her mobile phone and reported you to the police.
"This was a clear breach of trust."
Jimale was given a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years, ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work, given a two-year supervision order and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.
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