SHAME SHAME
14 MONTHS’ JAIL FOR BELFAST CABBIE WHO STOLE BANK CARDS FROM DRUNK PASSENGERS
A taxi driver who fleeced bank cards from drunk passengers which were then used to withdraw money from their bank accounts has been jailed for the “outrageous fraud.” The Belfast Telegraph reports that as he imposed a 14-month sentence on Gareth Taggart at Belfast Crown Court, Judge Richard Greene QC revealed the 32-year-old used the same modus operandi against over 50 passengers. During a period spanning from Febru- ary 2018 to July 2019, Taggart targeted drunk passengers by watching what PIN number they used to pay their taxi
fare. He failed to give the drunk customers their cards back from the reader in his car, then used their PIN numbers to withdraw cash from their bank accounts. Taggart repeated this process 60 times gaining nearly £26,800 from the fraud. When he was arrested in July 2019, Taggart made the case that he was acting under duress after racking up gambling debts; he borrowed money from paramilitary loan sharks who instructed him to carry out the fraud to pay off his debt to them. The father-of-two, from Belfast, also
claimed that a majority of the time he simply handed the stolen bank card over to ‘a third party’ who then with- drew money from the various accounts. This version of events was rejected by both the PSNI and Judge Greene. As he sent Taggart to jail, the judge cited greed as the motivation and said: “All were intoxicated and vulnerable people, and therefore easy prey.” Sending Taggart to jail, Judge Greene spoke of the abuse of his position of trust as Taggart was supposed to ensure those in his taxi got home safety, but instead “he fleeced them.”
30 YEARS’ JAIL FOR ROCHDALE CABBIE WHO RAPED TWO GIRLS IN 17-YEAR REIGN OF TERROR
A taxi driver plied two girls with alcohol and drugs then raped them in a terrify- ing campaign of abuse. The Manchester Evening News reports that Mohammed Saleem, 42, groomed two girls who were aged 14 and 15 when he targeted them in the 1990s. Both victims were extremely vulnerable and “abused in the worst ways possible”. Saleem, of Rochdale, met them both at a house of an older associate, Manch- ester Crown Court heard. He gave them lifts and plied them with booze and cannabis before raping them, prosecutor Mark Kellet told the court. Despite being married and having children, he went onto continue sexually, physically and mentally abuse one of the girls for more than 17 years. He even installed spyware on their com- puters to track their internet activity. Saleem was found guilty on 25 February of 31 offences. Mr Kellet said: “There were 16 offences of rape over an 18-year period. “There was systematic abuse of the vic- tim, who was targeted and exploited as an extremely vulnerable young child.”
APRIL 2022
Following a six week trial, Saleem was found guilty by a jury of 31 offences. Saleem was said to have no previous convictions. Sentencing, Judge Tina Landale said: “She was almost half your age when you spotted her and targeted her for a sexual relationship in which you exploited and manipulated her. “You took away her freedom. You saw her as your possession. “There was a significant degree of plan- ning, you targeted her with false compliments, alcohol and drugs to wheedle your way into her life and exploit her. You have no remorse. “Your other victim, you manipulated her with drugs and alcohol using the advantage of a premises to enable the rape to take place. “You have no remorse, and your report identifies that you find you have done nothing wrong.”
Finding him to be a dangerous offender, Judge Landale added: “You are capable of deceiving those closest to you. You have no empathy at all or insight into the damage you have caused. “You believe you are entitled to sex whenever you want.” Saleem, was jailed for 30 years with an extended licence period of three years, of which he will serve two thirds (20 years) in prison before being consid- ered for release by the parole board. He was also made subject of the Sex Offenders Register for life and Sexual harm Prevention Order indefinitely. DC Sarah Hayfield of GMP’s Rochdale district, said: “I want to extend my thanks and gratitude to these two brave women and their families for their strength during this investigation. “I hope this sentencing sends a clear message that child sexual exploitation is abhorrent and through our joint working with the council on child sexual abuse we will ensure anyone who engages in this type of vile behaviour will be brought to justice, as we have seen today.”
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