A TAXI driver who raped a young woman at knife point has been jailed for eight and a half years.

Khalile Maqsood committed the offence in Billingham, on September 10, last year, while he was working as a private hire taxi driver.

He was operating a minibus at the time and committed the offence after picking up the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

He drove her to an isolated car park near Billingham town centre, at about 2.30am, where he produced a knife and threatened to use it if she did not do what he wanted.

Maqsood then raped the woman before driving her back to where he had picked her up about half an hour earlier.

Maqsood, 31, of Brookfield Road, Stockton, denied the offence but was convicted by a jury last month after a trial at Teesside Crown Court.

He appeared at Newcastle Crown Court, yesterday, where Recorder Rodney Jameson imposed an eightand- a-half-year jail term and an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

He also ordered Maqsood to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.

Passing sentence, the judge told the defendant: “The woman had had a considerable amount to drink, not to the point where she was incapable, but was obviously vulnerable and didn’t know the situation she was placing herself in.

“She decided the best course of action was to allow it to happen rather than be stabbed.

“Abduction is also an aggravating factor. This offence has had the impact on her that one would expect.

“You are a family man and my heart bleeds for your family but you must understand that it is you that has caused the suffering they will undergo.

“It has nothing to do with the court sentence.”

Robin Turton, mitigating, said: “There is no indication that the knife was used to cause physical injury.

“References and testimonials seem to indicate a man who has acted out of character in terms of this activity. He is clearly a man with family ties and responsibilities.”