In the footage, Abdul Nabizada can be seen returning to the secluded area in Joppa, Edinburgh, in his taxi.
Chilling CCTV footage caught a rapist taxi driver returning to the secluded spot where he brutally attacked a teenage girl.
Abdul Nabizada, 36, raped his 19-year-old victim in Edinburgh on November 13, 2021. Instead of taking the girl home after a night out, Nabizada seized her phone and drove her to a remote area in Joppa where he raped her.
He was caged for seven years following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday, August 11.
CCTV footage, released by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, showed Nabizada returning to the site multiple times after he carried out the depraved attack.
In the footage, his taxi is seen returning to the area five times. At one point, he parked the vehicle stationary while he checked out the car park on Queens Bay Crescent.
The trial heard how the teenage victim entered his taxi after it appeared to be the vehicle she had booked. The girl managed to escape the vehicle and Nabizada’s clutches before she contacted friends, who found her distressed and frightened a short time later.
The conviction followed an extensive Police Scotland investigation. Officers had to identify the offender despite there being no legitimate booking record linking the victim to Nabizada. Investigators gathered and analysed evidence from multiple sources, including CCTV footage, mobile phone data and witness testimony. This helped establish the movements of both the victim and the offender, helping to build the case presented at trial.
Forensic analysis also found Nabizada’s DNA on the victim’s clothing, providing further evidence to support the Crown case. Nabizada tried to deny his guilt and defence lawyer David Taylor told the court how he came to Scotland after working for the US, Danish and UK militaries – primarily as an interpreter – in his homeland of Afghanistan.
The court was told he currently has indefinite leave to remain in the UK, and had applied for British citizenship. Mr Taylor said Nabizada is now concerned about the possibility of deportation in light of his conviction.
As well as the jail term, Nabizada’s name was added to the sex offenders register indefinitely. A non-harassment order was also granted.
Faye Cook, Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offences, said: “This conviction is the result of the victim’s courage in coming forward and the determined work of police officers to uncover what happened that night. Officers had to piece together evidence from a range of sources to identify the offender and build the case that was presented in court.
“The victim should have been able to trust that her journey home would be safe. Instead, she was seriously sexually assaulted by a taxi driver who took advantage of her vulnerability and abused his position resulting in a deeply traumatic experience.
“While stranger offending is rare, Scotland’s prosecutors treat every report of sexual abuse with the utmost seriousness, recognising the profound and lasting impact these crimes have on victims and communities. I hope this conviction provides reassurance that reports will be thoroughly investigated and that COPFS will work with policing partners to ensure offenders are held accountable.”
Detective Inspector Kirsty Mcarthur said: “This was a shocking attack on a woman in the city, and Nabizada will now face the consequences of his despicable actions.
“We remain committed to tackling sexual crimes and bringing those responsible to justice. I’d encourage anyone who has been a victim of such crimes to come forward and report it to us.
“We’ll thoroughly investigate and have specially trained officers and partner agencies to support you throughout to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”
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