40-year-old taxi driver, Katar Shahin, has been convicted of raping a 17-year-old girl. The taxi driver had offered to drop the teenage girl home for free as she had no money, but instead, he took her to McDonald's and then to his home in Swansea, where he sexually abused her.
Shahin had denied raping the victim and claimed she was a prostitute and that he had given her the sum of £20 for sex. However, he was put on trial and convicted at Swansea Crown Court. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, and will be on the sex offenders register for life.
Judge Geraint Walters told the accused in court, “It seems to me you probably picked-up this girl because you observed she appeared to be heavily under the influence of alcohol- to an extent she was targeted. By the time you drove to McDonald's that night you had decided to see if you could have sex with her. By the time you raped her, you knew she was under the influence of alcohol and drugs.”
South Wales Police detective, Sergeant Mark Kayes praised the victim's bravery. He said, “Despite the serious assault the victim had the strength and courage to support the police prosecution and gave vital evidence of her harrowing and traumatic experience.”
