SHAME SHAME... INVERNESS TAXI DRIVER WHO RAPED DRUNK PASSENGER IS JAILED FOR SIX YEARS
A taxi driver who raped a passenger on an isolated road after picking her up from a rank in Inver- ness has been jailed for six years. According to the Press and Journal, Anwar Chowdhury, 41, collected his vic- tim, who a court heard was “so drunk at the time that she was incapable of
giving or withhold- ing consent”, took her to a remote road and committed the attack. He later contacted a member of the woman’s family and tried to persuade them to get her to withdraw the com- plaint. Chowdhury denied raping the woman in August 2018 and
attempting to per- vert the course of justice in February last year. A jury found him guilty of both charges in November, and last month, at Aberdeen High Court, Lord Uist sentenced him to five years’ impris- onment for the charge of rape, and one year for the attempt to avoid
INVERCLYDE TAXI DRIVER WAS EIGHT TIMES OVER THE LIMIT
A drunken Inver- clyde taxi driver was found to be EIGHT times over the legal alcohol limit at his work. According to the Greenock Telegraph, Ryan Mark, 38, was still available for hire to potential passen- gers within the district despite be- ing so drunk he could barely stand up straight. The intoxicated cab- bie provided a read- ing of 175 micro- grams [mcg] of alcohol in 100 millil- itres of breath in a roadside
test,
Greenock Sheriff Court was told. The legal limit is 22mcg in Scotland, meaning that he was 7.95 times the maxi- mum allowed. Prosecutor Lindy Scaife said: “At around 3.25pm the accused was in the course of his em- ployment as a taxi
76 Ryan Mark
driver. He had drop- ped a passenger off and damaged an- other car in the process. The owner of the other vehicle approached the ac- cused and immedi- ately formed the opinion that he was under the influence of alcohol as the accused was un- steady on his feet.” Mark, from Green- ock, had been driv- ing a red Seat Toledo taxi at the
time of the offence on October 5 last year. Police were alerted to the state he was in by the wife of the driver whose car was dam- aged. At Greenock police office some time later, Mark was found to still have 141mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. Fiscal depute Ms Scaife said: “A sec- ond specimen was asked for. He failed to provide that spec- imen and he did not give a reasonable excuse. He was given a further opportuni- ty and again failed to provide a specimen.‘ Mark, a first offend- er, pleaded guilty to failing without rea- sonable excuse to provide breath sam- ples in order to ascertain his ability to drive. Sentence on Mark was de- ferred until February 26.
Anwar Chowdhury
justice, to run con- secutively. Chowdhury was also placed on the sex offenders’ register “for an indefinite period”.
At the trial, Chowd- hury denied his guilt and maintained that the victim initiated the sexual contact, it was consensual, and she was happy when she left his taxi. But Lord Uist said his evidence was “ridiculous”. He continued: “You have all along de- nied your guilt of rape, and shown no remorse. The rape had serious psycho- logical effects on your victim, who has suffered greatly as a result of it.” Liam Kerr MSP, the Scottish Conserva- tive’s shadow justice
secretary, said the ordeal faced by Chowdhury’s victim reinforced the need for CCTV in taxis. He said: “Having cameras in taxis would also form a source of evidence that could be used during disputes or when a crime is said to have been com- mitted.” Andrew Macdonald, chairman of Inver- ness Taxi Alliance, said: “I am open to putting in CCTV in my vehicles but we need help from authorities to enable this to be implement- ed across the board.”
STOKE-ON-TRENT TAXI DRIVER CAUGHT DRUG-DRIVING
Taxi driver Junaid Ahmed was caught drug-driving – whilst carrying three pas- sengers in the back of his cab. Police found can- nabis in the his Skoda Octavia when they stopped the car in Hanley. StokeonTrentLive re- ports that Magis- trates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard Ah- med, 26, gave a positive roadside drugs test when his vehicle was pulled over in Marsh Street at 2.20am on Octo- ber 26. Prosecutor Emma Pickard said: “The defendant had three passengers in the
Junaid Ahmed
taxi at the time. “Officers searched the vehicle and located a small bag of cannabis. A road- side drug swab was positive and he was later found to be over the specified driving limit for cannabis.” Ahmed, from Shel- ton, pleaded guilty to drug-driving and
possessing a Class B drug. He had no pre- vious convictions. Magistrates fined Ahmed £300 and disqualified him from driving for 18 months. Ahmed must also pay £185 court costs and a £32 victim surcharge. The cabbie was licensed with Stoke- on-Trent City Coun- cil. Following the case, Cllr Randy Conteh, cabinet member for a safer city, said: “We will seek to immediately revoke the licence of any driver who is found breaking the law and putting the public’s safety in danger.”
MARCH 2020
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