A man who posed as a taxi driver and kidnapped a vulnerable woman in Newcastle has been jailed for seven years. Kuldip Chahal targeted the woman, who was in her 20s, after she had been out with friends.
Chahal, wearing a black hooded coat, repeatedly directed and physically guided the woman through crowded streets for around ten minutes before she got into his car. Officers monitoring CCTV had been watching his actions and directed officers on the ground to stop the vehicle before it could drive away.
Chahal was found guilty of kidnap following a one-week trial at Newcastle Crown Court in May. He will also serve an extended licence period of three years and has been made subject to a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
The victim-survivor, who suffers from anxiety and stress in the aftermath, spoke out about the traumatic experience. She said: 'I was a confident and sociable young woman who enjoyed spending time with my friends. But what happened that night has changed me.'
The victim added: 'Since that night, I have struggled to feel safe in situations that I previously would not have thought twice about. I was a young woman trying to get home after a night out with friends, and instead, I became the target of a man more than twice my age who saw my vulnerability and chose to exploit it.'
Det Con Courtney Cran, who led the investigation, praised the victim-survivor for her bravery and resilience. 'Chahal is a predatory individual who deliberately targeted a lone, vulnerable young woman who was simply trying to get home safely after a night out with friends,' she said.
Operation Salus, which helps identify vulnerable women at night, was instrumental in bringing Chahal to justice. Thanks to the vigilance of officers who saw something was not quite right, they were quickly able to intervene and bring Chahal to a stop.
