Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Uber driver who lay in wait outside popular bars to pick up and rape drunken women is jailed for 12 years

  • Predator used his job as a mini-cab driver to prey on vulnerable women
  • He raped one woman who went to sleep in his cab in October last year
  • Rapist then attacked two other women in one night last December
  • Judge says he is a danger to 'intoxicated women' as he jails him this week 
Minicab driver Jahir Hussain has been jailed for carrying out attacks on vulnerable women on nights out in east London
Minicab driver Jahir Hussain has been jailed for carrying out attacks on vulnerable women on nights out in east London
An Uber driver who lay in wait outside popular London bars looking for drunken women to rape has been jailed for 12 years.
Jahir Hussain, 37, preyed on women leaving pubs in Shoreditch, in the east of the capital before attacking them as they slept.
His first victim awoke to find the fondling her breasts and undoing his belt on 12 October last year.
The woman lay still in the back of the cab frozen in fear as he raped her, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.
Father-of-four Hussain then carried out two attacks in quick succession in the early hours of 2 December.
The court heard the first of his two victims on that night had booked an Uber cab at 2am, but Hussain, who was parked outside the bar, told her he was his driver.
He then drove her to a parking bay and cut her clothing with scissors while she slept in the back.
She woke up to find him kissing her and fought him off and got out the car. She then memorised his number plate, the court heard.
Hussain then attacked another passenger just hours later by touching her legs and lifting up her dress as she slept in the back of his cab.
When she got home she noticed her tights and knickers had been cut in an almost identical way to the first victim's belt and jeans.

Katherine Farelly, prosecuting, said: 'In October and December, last year this defendant was working as a taxi driver.

'He was registered as a driver with Uber at that particular point in time, although it doesn't appear he was working through them.

'But what is clear is that he would often frequent the Shoreditch area of London which is a well known for its bars and restaurants

A judge at Snaresbrook Crown Court (pictured) said Hussain was a 'high risk' to 'intoxicated women'
A judge at Snaresbrook Crown Court (pictured) said Hussain was a 'high risk' to 'intoxicated women'
'The defendant used his work to target women who were completely vulnerable through excess alcohol to satisfy his malign intentions.

'They got into his taxi quite reasonably to drive them to their home address.

 He took advantage while they were passed out in the back of his cab. 

He seriously sexually assaulted each of them.'

Hussain sat emotionless in the dock with his head bowed as the Judge Nicholas Huskinson told him he seriously considered a life sentence.

Passing sentence, the judge told him: 'You possess a high risk of harm to adult women, particularly those who are intoxicated.

'You, Mr Hussain, appear to target them while they are alone and vulnerable.. And you used some sort of bladed instrument to cut their clothing when they were asleep.

Hussain's fist victim still suffers flashbacks and has trouble sleeing at night, the court heard.

Judge Huskinson jailed Hussain for a total of 12 years and said he would have to serve at least two thirds of the term.

The judge said: 'You will then be eligible to be considered for release from the parole board if they deem you able to return to society.'

Hussain, of Poplar, admitted two counts of sexual assault, two counts of rape, a serious sexual assault and battery with intent to commit a sexual offence.

DC Samantha Dart, the officer in the case, said: 'Hussain is a predator who exploited his employment as a mini-cab driver to seriously sexually assault vulnerable females. Women should be able to go out and enjoy themselves without fear of assault.

'We are grateful to all three women for having the courage to report these matters to police, and for their continued support throughout the investigations.'

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