Newbury Taxi Driver Jailed for Sexual Offences, Sentence Upheld

NEWBURY TAXI DRIVER JAILED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES, SENTENCE UPHELD

Ruhen Miah, a taxi driver from Newbury, was convicted of multiple serious sexual offences including rape, attempted rape, assault by penetration, and two counts of sexual assault.

He was sentenced to 14 years in prison at Reading Crown Court in September.

Miah, aged 43, admitted to the crimes which occurred after he experienced depression following the closure of his Indian restaurant on Cheap Street in Newbury.

The court considered his early guilty pleas, which led to a reduction of his original 21-year sentence by a third.

The offences involved targeting young, vulnerable women, including three teenagers, who were intoxicated and got into his taxi after nights out in Newbury.

One victim, heavily intoxicated, had no memory of leaving the pub.

The judge noted that the victims were particularly vulnerable due to their alcohol consumption and reliance on him for transport, with offenses escalating in seriousness.

Despite appeals arguing that Miah was 'dangerous' and deserved an extended sentence or life imprisonment, the Court of Appeal led by Lady Justice Rafferty upheld the original sentence, finding it neither unduly lenient nor excessive.

Miah’s mental health diagnosis included an acute stress-related adjustment disorder, and his defense argued that his mental state led to his actions.

The court declined to classify him as a dangerous offender and emphasized that the sentence was appropriate based on the evidence presented.