An Oldham man has been jailed for nine years after sexually assaulting a 17 year old girl who believed she had got into a taxi.
Tayumur Raja, 29, of Abbeyhills Road, Oldham, was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court on Wednesday 22 April 2026 after being found guilty of sexual assault by digital penetration.
He had been convicted at the same court on 6 March 2026 and has been placed on the Sex Offender Register indefinitely.
The court heard the victim, who was 17 at the time, left a nightclub in Oldham at around 4.15am on 25 September 2021.
After initially getting into a taxi and leaving due to being unable to pay with cash, she ordered another vehicle using her mobile phone.
A car pulled up and she got in believing it to be her taxi. The driver was Raja.
He drove her to a car park on Park Road where he sexually assaulted her.
The victim managed to escape and ran to a nearby supermarket where staff assisted her.
In a statement read to the court, she described how the incident had a lasting impact on her life.
She said: “Before September 2021, I was a normal 17-year-old girl. I was going to college, working, learning to drive, and spending time with my friends.”
She said the attack changed her sense of safety and left her fearful.
She said: “The fear I felt in that moment is something I cannot fully put into words.”
She described becoming isolated and struggling to trust others in the years following the assault, adding that she later moved into a hostel after leaving home.
Raja denied the offence throughout the investigation and claimed the victim had consented.
Police said evidence gathered, alongside the victim’s account, showed this was not the case and a jury convicted him.
In her statement, she thanked officers for continuing the case and said the process had helped restore some of her faith in people.
She said: “I hope my voice encourages others to come forward and seek help. Our voices deserve to be heard.”
Detective Constable Paul Fay, of Oldham CID, said: “I commend the bravery of the victim-survivor. Thanks to her, a dangerous sexual predator is now behind bars.
“I hope this gives the victim a sense of justice as she looks to move forward and rebuild her life.
“I urge all victim-survivors of rape and sexual offences to please come forward and report them to us. You will be believed and supported.”
Anyone affected by sexual assault can report incidents to police on 101 or via the LiveChat function on the Greater Manchester Police website. In an emergency, call 999.
Support is also available through Saint Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Manchester and Greater Manchester Rape Crisis.
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