Illegal cab driver jailed for sex attacks on gay men
A Deptford man who posed as a taxi driver has been jailed for ten years for raping one man and sexually assaulting another. He was told by a judge he would serve at least five years.
Mohamad Caid, 38, was convicted last month of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and two charges of false imprisonment.
Today, a judge at Woolwich crown court sentenced him to six and half years for the rape and three and half years for the sexual assault, with the sentences to run consecutively.
During his trial, the court heard that Caid had attacked the men on two separate occasions in May last year after picking them up outside gay nightclub Heaven near Charing Cross Station.
In the first incident, a 19-year-old man was driven to Lewisham before being sexually assaulted.
Five days later, Caid picked up two men and drove them to Fenchurch Street station. After dropping them off, he persuaded one of the men, who was 18, to get back in the car and subsequently raped him.
Det Insp Dave Carter of the City of London Police said: “This was a violent sex attack and the sentence is fully justified. The joint investigation between the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police was thorough. We would remind everybody of the inherent dangers of using unlicensed minicabs.”
Following Caid’s conviction, his 18-year-old victim gave a statement to PinkNews.co.uk warning other gay men to be aware of the dangers of unlicensed cabs.
“John” said: “When it came to leaving the club, a guy pulled up and said he was a cab driver. It was my first time in London, so I didn’t have a clue. My friend said come on let’s get in. I wasn’t sure, but didn’t want to be left behind as I don’t know London at all and didn’t want to be left stranded not knowing how to get home.”
After the attack took place, he was unsure whether to go to the police until his sister and a friend encouraged him to report it.
He added: “I’d say anyone who has been assaulted that’s gay should definitely 100 per cent report it to the police. They treat you really well. I’ve seen another side to the police though this case – they are really caring.”
