A taxi driver who preyed on a drunk student by subjecting her to a serious sex attack has been jailed for eight years.
Bozlul Hoque abused his position of trust after picking up the 20-year-old in Newcastle city centre when she became separated from her friends.
Instead of taking her home, he took her to a secluded street and molested her.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the attack has ruined her life and and left her suffering nightmares and she has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder.
In a victim impact statement, Hoque’s victim said her abuser took advantage of her "in the worst possible way".
She said: “This assault on me occurred more than two years ago and yet I cannot shake the memory of this event from my mind.
“The nightmares are still happening, the night terrors still wake me up breathless and panicking, the anxiety of travelling in a taxi is still there.
“But for the last two years this man has denied what he did. He has lied continuously to the police in his interviews and he has sought out every way to avoid being held responsible.
“I don't believe he has one ounce of remorse in his body. He is simply pleading guilty because the evidence against him is overwhelming and he has been backed into a comer.
“I can’t help wondering how many other single drunk females have climbed into his taxi like me and suffered similar things. I doubt I was the first but I hope I will be the last.”
She added that she found herself having to sleep in her mum's bed on occasions and has deliberately over-eaten at times to try to make herself unattractive to other potential abusers.
Vince Ward, prosecuting, added: "She's had nightmares involving her being trapped inside a taxi.
The court heard the victim's memory of what happened is hazy but she remembers becoming aware of what he was doing, pulling his hand away and noticing her underwear was missing.
She was so drunk she couldn't stand up and vomited after getting to her friend's home.
Police managed to track down Hoque as the culprit by analysing CCTV in the city centre.
Swabs also found his DNA in the victim's body.
The 44-year-old, of Croydon Road, Arthurs Hill, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to sexual assault by penetration.
He was jailed for eight years - of which he must serve up to two-thirds in custody - and was made subject to an indefinite restraining order and must sign the sex offenders register indefinitely.
Recorder Tom Moran said the victim should have been able to trust Hoque to get her home safely.
"Instead, you saw the opportunity to sexually abuse her and in doing so, abused your trusted position as a taxi driver," the judge said.
"She was confused, didn't know where she was and was petrified.
"You selected her once you saw the state she was in as someone who was likely to be too drunk to resist."
The judge said the victim later recalled Hoque instructing her in an aggressive tone of voice to remove her underwear.
He added that there was "severe psychological harm".
Robin Patton, defending, said: "The only thing that can be said in his favour is he had the good sense to plead guilty.
"He has been a hard-working man for his family and has let them down."
Mr Patton said Hoque, who moved to the UK from Bangladesh in 2007 and has no previous convictions, had told his wife he was at court but not his three children.
He added: "I daresay they will read the papers and this will come as a profound shock to them."
After the case, Detective Constable Joe Birkett said: “He was a licensed taxi driver who had undergone vulnerability training and was in a position of trust. His sole duty should have been getting his customer home safely.
“Instead he abused that position of trust and I welcome the significant custodial sentence handed to this sexual predator by the judge.
“This result would not have been possible if it were not for the bravery of the victim in this case and I want to take this opportunity to thank her for having the courage to come forward."
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/predatory-newcastle-city-centre-taxi-21277220
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