Told victim he had the right to sex because he had paid her taxi fare home

A man from Putney who told a woman he had a right to have sex with her because he paid for her taxi has been jailed.

41-year-old Jeetender Singh of West Hill was sentenced to five year imprisonment at Blackfriars Crown Court after being found guilty of sexual assault last month at the end of a five day trial.

Jeetender Singh

The 22-year-old victim had been out with friends in Piccadilly Circus on Valentine’s Day 2015. During the course of the evening she began to feel unwell and decided to order a cab to go home.

Whilst she was waiting for her taxi, a man approached her and started chatting to her and said he would look after her. When the taxi arrived he got in with her.

On the journey back the victim was sick in the taxi and was told she would have to pay more because of this. The man, who the victim knew as 'Hazim', offered to pay for the fare so they stopped at an ATM to get money. They then continued to the victim's home address in North Kensington.

When they arrived Hazim followed the victim to her doorstep and again said he would look after her. The victim said she was fine and just wanted to go to bed. As she went through the door and attempted to close it, Hazim pushed passed her into her apartment. The victim kept asking him to leave but he refused. She then collapsed into her bed and woke up to find Hazim sexually assaulting her. She told him to get off her to which he replied "it's the least you can do for me, I paid for the taxi."

The victim then pushed Hazim off her and he left her flat.

When she contacted police, the victim gave a detailed description of the man who had attacked her to police. Officers spoke with the taxi driver who identified the ATM they stopped at for the cash withdrawal. The suspect was later identified as Singh through CCTV and the bank details obtained from the ATM.

He was arrested on 6 July 2016 at Heathrow Airport after returning to the UK. He was interviewed and denied the offence, but was charged on 10 October 2016.

Detective Sergeant Paula Hill, from the Met's Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command, said, "This was a serious sexual offence committed with some element of planning by the defendant. Singh completely took advantage of a vulnerable female after a night out in central London. Once inside her home address on the context of helping her he refused to leave.

"The victim was left distraught by this attack but has showed extreme bravery in attending court to give evidence. She is very pleased with the verdict and feels that she may have prevented Singh committing similar crimes on other women."

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August 18, 2017