SHEFFIELD MAN JAILED FOR ATTEMPTED RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AFTER POSING AS TAXI DRIVER
A woman, assaulted by a man posing as a taxi driver, revealed that she was unable to walk from her vehicle to her home unaccompanied following the attack.Raja Gulraiz, 48, of Harwell Road, Sheffield, was convicted of attempted rape and sexual assault in a Leeds Crown Court trial.
He was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Monday.
The court heard that Gulraiz targeted the victim in Castleford in June 2021, parking his Toyota Yaris near a taxi rank and falsely claiming to be a taxi driver.
She entered his vehicle, and during the drive to her residence, he committed sexual offences.
In a statement, the woman explained the lasting impact of the incident: 'Before this, I had no hesitation walking home alone at night, walking my dog, or taking a taxi.
I valued my independence and trusted people, which made it hard to believe people could be deceitful.
Now, I experience many triggers.
I avoid walking alone at night, cannot go down specific streets, and until recently, I couldn’t walk from my car to my door without asking a family member or partner to wait for me.
This event has affected every area of my daily life and changed my sense of self—I mourn who I was before.' Superintendent Phil Jackson from West Yorkshire Police said after the verdict, 'The victim has demonstrated exceptional bravery in coming forward and engaging with the justice process.
It would have been very difficult for her to face her attacker in court and relive her trauma, but she did so with the hope of preventing others from suffering similarly.
We hope her courage inspires other victims to seek help.
Gulraiz has not accepted responsibility for his actions, but our investigation team worked tirelessly to ensure his conviction.
Our commitment remains to safeguard women and girls from violence and sexual offenses.
This sentence ensures a dangerous offender is incarcerated and will be subject to conditions aimed at protecting others.'
