Sex attack takeaway driver jailed after four years evading justice

A takeaway driver who evaded justice for four years after his conviction for sexually assaulting a young woman has finally been jailed.

Abdul Samad, 43, duped his then 20-year-old victim into believing he was a taxi driver as she tried to get home, then attacked her in July 2019.

Samad was found guilty by a jury at Glasgow Sheriff Court in 2022 but failed to appear in court and remained a free man until he was arrested at Heathrow Airport in January.

The married father-of-two has now been brought to the dock, this time from custody, and jailed for 29 months.

At his earlier trial, CCTV footage showed that Samad crossed three lanes of traffic in order to pick up the woman in the Tradeston area as she tried to get back to the city's West End in the early hours.

Samad initially dropped off food to a house in the east of the city before going back on the westbound M74.

During the journey he groped the woman under her clothing, touched her on the leg and repeatedly performed a sex act.

Samad, of the city's Castlemilk area, claimed he picked up the woman because he thought she needed help and that he was acting as a "good samaritan".

He also claimed that it was the woman who groped him and that he was the victim of a sexual assault.

Samad initially claimed he had no physical contact with the woman but changed his position after forensic evidence revealed the contrary.

Sentencing him, Sheriff Michael Hanlon told Samad that he persisted in blaming the victim rather than take responsibility.

He told him: "You took advantage of her and she was left traumatised.

"I commend her bravery in reporting the matter and giving evidence against you.

"This was in sharp contrast to your cowardice to not turn up and hear the jury's verdict.

"You have shown no remorse for what you did or the effect on your victim."

Samad's defence lawyer said he continued to maintain his innocence.

It has now been revealed that Samad has a previous conviction for an assault to injury in 2009 in which he received a fine.

As well as the jail sentence, Samad was put on the sex offenders register for 10 years.