Jakir Hussain, a Grangetown Rapist cab driver, requested to use a customer’s lavatory in her residence before unlawfully entering her bedroom and committing rape. He subsequently refuted the sexual assault allegation; nonetheless, his DNA was discovered on a carpet.
On November 19 of the previous year, Jakir Hussain, 39, transported his victim from Cardiff city centre to her residence as a paid fare. Upon concluding the drive, he entered the rear of the cab and secured the doors until she consented to permit him access to the lavatory in her residence.
Notwithstanding her objections, Jakir Hussain thereafter entered her bedroom, forced her onto the bed, and contorted her body, pressing her face into the mattress, therefore obstructing her breathing. He disrobed her and sexually assaulted her without employing protection.
A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court revealed that the defendant’s DNA was found, establishing a connection to the crime scene. Jakir Hussain, a married father, was located via CCTV and apprehended, however he refuted any occurrence of sexual behaviour. He subsequently altered his account, asserting that all events were consensual; however, he was convicted of rape after a trial.
Reading out a statement to the court, the victim said she was no longer able to remain in her home, due to it being the scene of the rape and causing flashbacks. She said the trauma of being raped had led her to attempting to take her own life.
She said: “Since this incident I have tried to avoid sleep because I am taken back to the night of the incident. I see (the defendant’s) face in my head and can remember what he did to me, including flashbacks to parts of the incident such as being trapped in a taxi….
“Immediately following the incident I could barely walk into my room or look at my bed as it triggered flashbacks. I had to see the cut carpet in my bedroom which further reminded me of events. I could only be in my room with the lights on due to the defendant coming into the room during the incident and turning the lights off, making me fear the darkness….
“Since the incident I have not felt able to get into a taxi, I have a complete distrust of all taxi drivers and even impacts me to the extent if female friends go on a night out I will offer to drive them home in the middle of the night. I no longer consider taxis to be safe. I put my trust in what I thought was a professional to take me safely home that night. This has impacted me in all aspects of my life and I’m more likely to distrust other professionals who may be trying to help me.”
In mitigation, Jakir Hussain, of Watkiss Way, Grangetown, was said to be of previous good character and had lived in the UK for eight years. He is due to become a father for the third time, and financially support his family in the UK and overseas.
Sentencing, Recorder Eugene Egan said: “(The victim) was entitled, as a bare minimum, to be taken safely to the street where she lived by you and to be treated respectfully by you…. You were in a position of trust towards her, a position of trust you grossly abused…
“You asked her to use the toilet as a ruse to gain access to her house, you gained entry by guile. No taxi driver should ever be asking to use the toilet of a female fare passenger. You just wanted to get into her house.”
Jakir Hussain was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment, and will at least two thirds of the sentence before he is released. He was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements for life. He was also made subject to a restraining order and barred from working as a taxi driver indefinitely.
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