SHAME SHAME
13 YEARS’ JAIL FOR LONDON PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER WHO RAPED AND MOLESTED PASSENGERS
A ‘predatory’ private hire driver who kept a pencil case of condoms and lube in his glove compartment has been jailed for raping a passenger. Homayon Ahmadi, 33, attacked the woman in her 40s, in Croydon after picking her up from a hospital on the evening of April 19, 2021. Three months later, on July 25, a 21-year-old student phoned police to say she and a friend had been molested after being collected from a central London nightclub. Ahmadi, of Uxbridge, west London, was given a 13-year prison sentence after he admitted rape and two counts of sexual assault at Croydon Crown Court. In a statement, his first victim said she suffers constant flashbacks and “paralysing fear”. She added: “The rape has had a major impact on my life, and I am constantly afraid and am no longer able to focus on my studies.” Det Cons Natalie Alchin, who led the investigation, said: “Ahmadi is a predatory offender, and we are pleased he is behind bars and unable to cause further harm.” The first victim called 999 on April 19 to report that she had been raped by a minicab driver who picked her up after she had been discharged from hospital. She was still wearing her hospital slippers and was in a vulnerable state, the court heard. Alisdair Smith, prosecuting, said: “She approached this defendant in a car, and he was, the prosecution say, acting officially as a taxi or at least purported to be one and on that basis, she went with him. “She was soon aware that she had no way to pay and said her partner
PHTM APRIL 2023
would pay upon arrival at her home. The defendant’s demand was that she have sex with him.” Jurors were told Ahmadi then pulled into a garage in Croydon and raped her. Detectives immediately launched an investigation and began extensive enquiries to try and identify the driver and vehicle. While that investigation was ongoing, the 21-year-old victim phoned police to report her attack. Shortly after booking the cab home, her phone died, and the students started asking drivers parked up outside the nightclub if they were there to pick them up. When they approached Ahmadi’s window, he lied he was their driver and whisked them away. They realised within minutes he was going the wrong way to their address and became worried when he stopped off to buy whisky, offered them a swig and suggested they go back to his. Ahmadi then pulled over again, this time to demand one of the women sit beside him in the front. The two victims attempted to get out of the car and leave, at which point Ahmadi sexually assaulted the first victim, while her friend attempted to stop him. He proceeded to sexually assault the second woman before jumping back into his car and driving off. The incident was reported to the police immediately but as the women were unable to identify the
off licence, police were limited with the extent of the investigation. However in October, Ahmadi was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and later connected to the two attacks. During his interviews, he answered no comment but claimed that sex had been consensual, before later pleading guilty to the three charges. The court heard Ahmadi had moved to the UK from Afghanistan in 2010 to study and had been granted asylum. His wife had been killed in a suicide bombing in Kabul which led him to develop depression, PTSD and alcohol issues. Speaking of the impact his actions had on the women, Judge Eliza- beth Lowe
said: “Women are
entitled to go out if they want to and drink alcohol, they are entitled to get drunk and to walk alone and they are entitled to do all of those things without fear of being sexually assaulted or raped by men like you.” She continued: “Everyone should appreciate, the only person to blame for those nights is you and the impact on these women is you.” Labelling his behaviour “predatory and exploitative”, he was jailed for 13 years with an extended licence period of seven years. He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and a restraining order, preventing him from contacting any of his victims. Upon his release, he is prohibited for applying for a licence or acting as a taxi driver. DC Alchin said: “There may be other victims of Ahmadi who until now have not spoken to police. If you believe this is you, please contact us on 101.
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