OLDHAM SEX OFFENDER TAMUR YAQUB SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS FOR ATTEMPTED RAPE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Oldham, a local cab driver named Tamur Yaqub has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of attempting to sexually assault a young girl. The incident took place in January 2012, and the court proceedings revealed a troubling account of the events that led to his conviction.

According to court records, Tamur Yaqub, a 32-year-old father of six, was employed by the Oldham-based taxi company Cartax. On that fateful day, he was off duty when he encountered a 15-year-old girl walking home. The prosecution argued that Yaqub deliberately targeted her, having spotted her walking alone in the area. The court heard that he forcibly dragged her into his private-hire taxi, an act that was met with significant resistance from the young girl.

Yaqub claimed that he and the girl made eye contact as he drove past her, and that this contact led to her approaching his vehicle. He insisted that they engaged in a conversation through the open window, and that she voluntarily entered his car. However, the jury at Manchester Crown Court was not convinced by his version of events. Judge Jeffrey Lewis explicitly rejected Yaqub’s assertion that the girl entered the vehicle willingly, stating, “I have not the slightest hesitation in rejecting your assertion that she got into your car voluntarily.”

The judge further condemned Yaqub’s actions, describing his conduct as using “considerable force against a girl who was no match for you.” He emphasized that Yaqub subjected the girl to degradation and showed no remorse for his actions. The court heard that Yaqub had made disturbing claims during the trial, alleging that the girl had told him he could do whatever he wanted to her if he paid her £5. He also claimed that he took her to an address where they engaged in consensual sex before he dropped her off near her home.

Yaqub’s defense included the assertion that he believed the girl was approximately 20 years old and that she had behaved “like a prostitute.” However, the girl’s account was starkly different. She testified that she had been forcibly dragged into Yaqub’s car, where he attempted to rape her after driving to a secluded area. Her testimony was supported by evidence of her distress and the circumstances of the assault.

During police interviews, Yaqub initially denied that the girl had even been in his car. It was only later that he changed his story, but by then, the evidence against him was compelling enough to secure a conviction. The court’s decision reflects the seriousness of his crimes and the community’s concern over such predatory behavior. Yaqub’s eight-year sentence serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding vulnerable individuals from such heinous acts in Oldham and beyond.