A former translator for the British Army, who became a taxi driver after arriving in Scotland from Afghanistan, has been sentenced to seven years in prison after raping a teenage passenger.
Abdul Nabizada, 36, was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday after being found guilty at a trial last month.
It was established that Nabizada failed to drive a 19-year-old taxi passenger back to her home after a night out in November 2021.
Instead, he took her mobile phone from her and drove her to a secluded area of Joppa, near Edinburgh, and attacked her.
The court previously heard Nabizada detained the victim against her will, seized her mobile phone from her possession, touched her body, and struggled with her.
He then 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.
Judge John Morris KC called it a “crime of opportunism”.
He said: “The jury has unanimously convicted you of committing a serious sexual assault on a vulnerable woman.
“The offence is an extremely serious one.”
He told Nabizada that his crime has had a “long-lasting impact” on the victim, which she described in a victim impact statement.
“[She] was particularly vulnerable because she was intoxicated and that should have been obvious to you,” the judge Morris continued.
“The [assault] occurred when you were responsible for transporting her home.”
Nabizada continued to deny his guilt, and defence lawyer David Taylor told the court how he came to Scotland after working for the US, Danish and UK militaries – primarily as an interpreter – in his homeland of Afghanistan.
The court was told he currently has indefinite leave to remain in the UK, and had applied for British citizenship.
Mr Taylor said Nabizada is now concerned about the possibility of deportation in light of his conviction.
Judge Morris said he had taken into account the number of positive references submitted on behalf of Nabizada ahead of sentencing.
He also considered the fact that Nabizada had no prior convictions, and that he was a “family man” with four children.
Judge Morris sentenced Nabizada to seven years in prison and he was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
He was also ordered not to contact or approach the victim.
Nabizada attended the sentencing in a black suit, accompanied by a translator.
Faye Cook, procurator fiscal for High Court sexual offences, said the conviction is the result of the victim’s courage in coming forward and the determined work of police officers.
“Officers had to piece together evidence from a range of sources to identify the offender and build the case that was presented in court,” she said.
“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.”
Detective Inspector Kirsty McArthur said: “This was a shocking attack on a woman in the city, and Nabizada will now face the consequences of his despicable actions.
“We remain committed to tackling sexual crimes and bringing those responsible to justice. I’d encourage anyone who has been a victim of such crimes to come forward and report it to us.
“We’ll thoroughly investigate and have specially trained officers and partner agencies to support you throughout to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”
