Former Loughborough Taxi Driver Jailed 12 Years for 2006 Student Rape After DNA Match

Mahbubur Rahman, a former taxi driver, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for raping a 19-year-old student in 2006, nearly two decades after the crime. The victim had been intoxicated and was picked up by Rahman, who was not supposed to take street fares, before he stopped at a cash machine and assaulted her in the back of his taxi. The case remained unsolved until 2022 when a DNA sample taken from Rahman during an unrelated arrest matched the evidence collected from the original investigation, leading to his arrest and conviction. Rahman denied the assault during the trial, claiming the sex was consensual and alleging the victim solicited him for money, but the jury found him guilty. Police officials highlighted the persistence in pursuing the case, emphasizing the victim's long wait for justice and the importance of DNA evidence in solving cold cases. The judge noted the severe impact of the crime on the victim's life, and Rahman was ordered to serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody, with the remainder on license.