A man from Swindon, who pretended to be a taxi driver, has been found guilty of raping a woman.
Fareed Tariq, aged 43, of Barnum Court, has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Swindon Crown Court for sentencing on April 3 after being found guilty by a majority verdict at Swindon Crown Court yesterday.
Tariq’s modus operandi involved preying on vulnerable individuals after they had been out for the evening. In this instance, he lured his victim under the pretense of providing transportation before subjecting her to a harrowing ordeal. Subsequently, Tariq picked up the victim’s son from a friend’s residence.
This is not the first time Tariq has faced such serious charges. Remarkably, he was previously convicted of a similar offense in 2012, resulting in a six-year prison sentence. Now, with this latest conviction, Tariq finds himself awaiting sentencing, scheduled for April 3rd.
Detective Sergeant Emma Kinderman, representing the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), condemned Tariq’s actions, labelling the incident as “horrendous”. DS Kinderman commended the bravery of the victim for coming forward and enduring what must have been a challenging trial process.
In her statement, DS Kinderman said “This was a horrendous incident, where Tariq pretended to be a taxi driver and picked up a vulnerable woman after a night out. He took her to a quiet area and raped her before picking up her son from her friend’s house.
“This is the second time that Tariq has been found guilty of raping a woman after a night out. He was jailed for six years in 2012.
“I’d like to thank the victim for her incredible bravery through reporting the incident and through what must have been a really difficult trial, reliving a traumatic experience. Without her continued assistance, the outcome would not have been possible.
“We would encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual assault to please report it, do not suffer alone. We understand it can be difficult. You might not be completely sure what happened or how to talk about it. Our trained officers and partner organisations are here to listen and work together to support you in any way we can. Importantly, your information could help us bring the offender to justice and make sure you, and other people in a similar situation, are kept safe.”
For those who have experienced similar traumas, Wiltshire Police offers various avenues for reporting sexual assaults or seeking assistance, including their website and calling 101, or 999 in an emergency.
Additionally, victims have the option of seeking support from local Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs), where trained professionals can provide confidential medical assistance and gather evidence if desired, without the immediate involvement of police.
