DNA samples lead to arrest of city driver.
A GLASGOW private-hire car driver who fled abroad to avoid a rape charge has been found guilty.
 
Arshad Mohammed, 48, raped the 19-year-old woman in his Skoda after driving her to a dead-end in Neilston, East Renfrewshire, in November 2010.
 
He was caught after police took a DNA sample when he was later detained for making sexual remarks to two teens. 
 
Sentence on Mohammed was deferred and he was remanded in custody. Pakistan-born Mohammed, who holds Italian citizenship, was convicted by majority verdict following a six day trial at the High Court in Stirling.
 
The court heard that the rape victim had got into his 50 50 Cabs taxi in her pyjamas, with a coat on top, following an evening watching television at a friend’s house.
 
He drove her to a secluded spot and raped her.
 
After the attack he told her: “See you after, princess”. The court was told the woman went to a friend’s house in tears and police  were called.
 
Mohammed, who was described as having “more than one teenage daughter” and a wife in Pakistan, was caught after he targeted two other lone, 17-year-old girl passengers.
 
He was detained by police in March and April 2011, after he subjected them to explicit sexual remarks and gave a DNA sample later matched to DNA on a swab taken from the rape victim.
 
Mohammed appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court in June 2011 and was granted bail, but skipped the country. 
 
He was arrested in Norway and extradited back to the UK in August 2014.
 
Mohammed lodged a special defence of consent, and claimed that his victim had asked him if he wanted to have sex.
 
He claimed she said afterwards: “‘Thank you driver, now I can get a good night’s sleep’.”
 
He claimed “disability” in his legs made it only possible for him to have consensual sex.
 
The jury also found him guilty, unanimously of two charges of breach of the peace for making  the remarks to the girls.