Bogus taxi driver found guilty of sex assault

An arrest warrant has been issued for a takeaway worker who sexually assaulted a vulnerable woman after duping her into thinking he was a taxi driver.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard Abdul Samad, 39, picked up the 20-year-old in Glasgow's Tradeston on 24 July 2019.

But on the journey back to her home in the west end he subjected her to an ordeal that included repeated groping.

Samad was not in the dock for the verdict and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The court previously witnessed CCTV of Samad, from Castlemilk, crossing three lanes in order to pick up the victim in the early hours of the morning.

He claimed he told the woman to get into the car as she needed help.

At a previous hearing, prosecutor Mark Allan asked him: "What if I say you were chancing your arm wanting her to believe your car was a taxi?"

He replied: "Not at all."

Samad also claimed he was being a "good Samaritan" at the time.

He added that the pair said nothing to each other before she put his hand on top of her own on the gearstick.

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

He stated that it was a culture difference which stopped him telling her it was wrong.

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

Mr Allan asked: "The woman said that you had your hand under her clothing and touched her, would you say she was lying?"

He replied: "Yes."

Samad also claimed the victim was not telling the truth when she told the jury that he made her perform a sex act.

Mr Allan said: "Why on earth would this stranger tell these evil lies about a man who did nothing to her, about a man who had simply tried to help her?"

Samad responded: "I'm still standing here surprised, you can ask her, I really don't know what her aim was or what was going on in her mind."

He also claimed that when he dropped the victim off, she called him a "life saver" and an "angel."

The court heard Samad had changed his position from having any physical contact with the victim after forensic evidence revealed the contrary.

He has a previous conviction for an assault to injury in 2009 in which he received a fine.

Sheriff Sean Murphy QC deferred sentence pending background reports.