Edinburgh private hire driver who raped teen in taxi after picking her up from night out jailed

A private hire taxi driver has been jailed for raping a teenage passenger after picking her up from a night out in Edinburgh.

Abdul Nabizada, 35, preyed on his 19-year-old female passenger on November 13, 2021, after she entered his taxi in the early hours, believing it to be the vehicle she had booked.

Nabizada failed to take the woman back to her home in the city and instead took her mobile phone and drove to a secluded area in Joppa, where he raped her.

The victim managed to escape from the vehicle and contacted friends, who found her distressed and frightened a short time later.

CCTV footage from Queens Bay Crescent then showed Nabizada repeatedly returning to the area after the attack.

Officers worked to identify the offender despite the absence of any legitimate booking record linking the victim to Nabizada.

Investigators gathered and analysed evidence from multiple sources, including CCTV footage, mobile phone data and witness testimony.

Abdul Nabizada repeatedly returning to the area after the attack. COPFS

Nabizada denied any wrongdoing during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The court heard that he came to the UK in 2016 after working as a translator for various Western militaries and lived in Edinburgh.

During sentencing on Tuesday at the High Court in Edinburgh, Judge John Morris KC said he had committed an “appalling breach of trust” and jailed him for seven years.

His name has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely, and a non-harassment order was also granted.

Nabizada’s defence counsel said he has indefinite leave to remain and had been applying for British citizenship, but admits the prospect of deportation now “hangs over him” during his sentence.

Faye Cook, procurator fiscal for High Court Sexual Offences, said: “This conviction is the result of the victim’s courage in coming forward and the determined work of police officers to uncover what happened that night.

“Officers had to piece together evidence from a range of sources to identify the offender and build the case that was presented in court.

“The victim should have been able to trust that her journey home would be safe.

“Instead, she was seriously sexually assaulted by a taxi driver who took advantage of her vulnerability and abused his position, resulting in a deeply traumatic experience

“While stranger offending is rare, Scotland’s prosecutors treat every report of sexual abuse with the utmost seriousness, recognising the profound and lasting impact these crimes have on victims and communities.

“I hope this conviction provides reassurance that reports will be thoroughly investigated and that COPFS will work with policing partners to ensure offenders are held accountable.”