OXFORD TAXI DRIVER CONVICTED OF RAPING A SLEEPING PASSENGER
A taxi driver who picked up two women stranded in Oxford became emotional in court as he was convicted of raping one of them while she was sleeping at his residence.The incident occurred after the women, who had been out in the city, missed their bus home and were approached by Chowdhury to help them.
The judge noted that the women had been duped into going to a hotel with two young men, and that Chowdhury had offered the women breakfast at his Witney home.
Once there, the women went to bed — one in the spare room and one in Chowdhury’s room.
Prosecutor Michael Shaw stated that one woman woke to find Chowdhury raping her.
Chowdhury denied the allegations of rape and assault, but a jury found him guilty of rape by a majority verdict after six and a half hours of deliberation.
He was cleared of the second charge.
The court heard that Chowdhury's marriage had ended and that he lived in Wales now.
During the trial, his defense counsel described the incident as isolated, with no violence used.
Chowdhury was sentenced to 10 years in prison and must also register as a sex offender for life.
The judge remarked that the attack was not premeditated, and Chowdhury had lied to police about the incident.
Chowdhury was seen sobbing uncontrollably after the verdict was announced.
Judge Peter Ross emphasized that the victim was vulnerable because she was asleep and that there was no indication she welcomed any sexual attention.
The court described the actions as a violation of trust and emphasized the victim's sleep state made her particularly susceptible.
Chowdhury’s conduct was considered a clear breach of her safety and well-being, leading to a lengthy custodial sentence and lifelong sex offender registration.
