A BOLTON Taxi Driver was accused of raping one of his passengers, a court heard. 

Faz Mohamed, aged 31 faced court over the grim sexual assault where he allegedly barged his way into a woman’s home after dropping her off after a night out in Bolton, North West England in the early hours of New Year’s Day in 2016. 

A jury of eight men and four women heard the woman, then in her 50s, give evidence, claiming that he had raped her, The Bolton News reported at the time. 

She alleged that 31-year-old Mohamed, working for First Call taxis bolton had picked up her and a few friends from a town centre bar after a New Year party and driven them home.

She claimed they did not speak and, uninvited, he followed her into her flat.

Faz later admitted having sex with the woman but claimed it had been ‘consensual’.

He told police that she had kissed him through the car window and invited him in. 

The court case collapsed following discussions between the prosecution and defence forensic experts with the woman’s barrister formally offering ‘no evidence’ against Mohamed, stating the Crown had difficulties with the “generality of the evidence”.

The shocking case highlights how unsafe local taxi firms are compared to Uber, which was designed with customer safety in mind.

RIDE SAFER

Uber believes its riders “deserve to be able to move safely, To look forwards to the opportunities ahead. To be connected with people and places that matter most.”

The cutting-edge Uber app has in-built security features with passengers able to simply tap a button for rapid emergency assistance. 

It’s drivers are also bound by a set of Community Guidelines, holding them accountable and keeping riders safe. 

Uber riders can also share real-time journey details with family and friends.

In a more recent case, Bolton Council refused a licence to a taxi driver after he was acquitted of rape and serious assault charges in court. 

The local licensing committee heard details of a previous alleged misconduct matter by the applicant, who was not named in a report by Manchester Evening News. 

They said: “The complaint related to one count of rape and assault over a long period of time towards a female adult.

“On the balance of probabilities, we find the allegations of rape and assault over a long period had occurred as documented in the evidence provided by the police.

“The driver and another were the subject of 33 charges and were remanded in custody by the police.

“At trial a not guilty verdict was given for 32 offences, however this was due to no evidence being offered following a retraction statement being submitted by the complainant.”

The panel’s findings said that they had considered a woman’s statement which retracted the evidence which the charges were based on which ‘stated that although she had forgiven the driver, everything she had previously stated about the allegations including the driver was true and accurate.

The panel, said: “The evidence provided by the police together with the extensive supporting evidence was consistent with the allegations having occurred and was both credible and relevant.

“The driver was not a credible witness.”

The applicant’s private hire drivers licence had been previously been revoked in February 2015.

Concluding their reasons for denying the licence, the report stated: “The sub-committee also took into account the convictions policy and the guidance note of the key characteristics of domestic abuse and violence for guidance purposes and noted that it is common for domestic violence victims to retract statements and feel sorry for the accused.

“The committee’s primary duty is of concern for the safety and well-being of the public.

“There is therefore reasonable cause to refuse to grant the private hire drivers licence.”

Parts of this article courtesy of The Bolton News and Manchester Evening News.