MOHAMMED BASHARAT'S CRIME IN BIRMINGHAM: SHOCKING RAPE OF TEENAGE RUNAWAY REVEALED
In June 2019, a disturbing case unfolded involving Mohammed Basharat, a man from Birmingham who was convicted of heinous crimes against a vulnerable teenage girl.Basharat, who was 36 years old at the time of sentencing, was found guilty of luring a 15-year-old runaway into his vehicle and subsequently raping her at his family home in Hodge Hill.
The court heard how Basharat, a TNT delivery driver, had initially approached the girl on August 16, 2017, after she had fled her family residence following an argument over her use of Instagram.
According to court proceedings, the young girl had been involved in a dispute with her parents, which resulted in her phone being confiscated and her being confined to her room.
Later that evening, when her family called her down for dinner, they discovered she had escaped through a bathroom window.
Concerned for her safety, they immediately began searching for her, but she was already out on the streets of Birmingham, without a coat, walking alone.
It was during this time that Basharat, who was driving his TNT van, spotted her.
He reportedly beeped his horn and offered her a lift, which she accepted.
Basharat then instructed her to get into the back of his van, claiming she would be less visible there.
He falsely told her he lived with his parents, although in reality, he was a married man with three children, including a 14-year-old.
His wife and children were away in Pakistan at the time.
Once inside the van, Basharat drove around Birmingham for several hours, during which he purchased cannabis.
The girl smoked some of the drug, which made her feel dizzy and sleepy, the court was told.
The pair traveled to various locations, including Bassetts Pole near Lichfield and Star City.
However, Basharat avoided stopping at Star City after recognizing a car there, fearing he might be seen by someone he knew.
Eventually, Basharat returned to his home in Hodge Hill.
To prevent neighbors from seeing a young girl entering his property, he made her wear his jacket with the hood pulled up.
Once inside, they watched television, and Basharat smoked more cannabis.
As the girl became increasingly sleepy, Basharat allowed her to sleep upstairs on his marital bed.
However, he later sneaked into the room and, in a disturbing turn, raped her.
The court was told that she felt weak and scared, realizing she was in a situation she could not escape from.
Prosecutor Glyn Samuel described how Basharat, taking advantage of the fact that his family was out of the country, assaulted the girl.
He held her arms above her head and forced her to remove her underwear before raping her.
The victim was later dropped off at a shopping center the following day, given only £5.
She was eventually found by her grandparents walking the streets of Birmingham.
Basharat was arrested shortly afterward while driving his van on Cannock Road.
At Birmingham Crown Court, Basharat was convicted of rape on June 24, 2019, and sentenced to seven years in prison.
The court heard that Basharat had initially denied the charges, claiming he wanted to help the girl and that she had made sexual advances towards him in the van.
However, the jury found him guilty after considering the evidence presented.
Judge Richard Bond, presiding over the case, emphasized the vulnerability of the victim, describing her as small in stature and visibly upset during her ordeal.
He condemned Basharat’s deception, noting that he lied about his age and fabricated his identity to gain her trust.
The judge stated that Basharat had made a conscious decision to engage in sexual activity with the girl, regardless of her unwillingness, and that she had submitted to his unwanted advances.
The impact on the victim was profound, with her expressing feelings of dirtiness and constant fear, as reflected in her victim impact statement.
The judge also acknowledged that Basharat had no prior convictions, but his actions warranted a significant custodial sentence.
