Rapist taxi driver jailed for 10 years

A taxi driver from the Black Country has been jailed for 10 years after raping a 12-year-old schoolgirl.

Mohammed Yunis was told he had "ruined" the victim and must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

The 52-year-old of Farringdon Street, Birchills, Walsall, denied raping the girl but was found guilty after a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Sentencing him yesterday Judge Michael Challinor told Yunis: "This was a spontaneous and opportunistic attack."

He added: "You were a responsible and hard-working man, so your fall from grace is very considerable."

The judge said the harm caused to the schoolgirl was "immense" and she now felt "shame, guilt and rejection".

Mr Henry Spooner, defending the father of five, insisted there had been no grooming of the victim. He added the conviction had been a "devastating" blow to Yunis and his family.

He told the court: "This was a disastrous 10 minutes that has ruined his life."

The conviction will now be reported to the taxi licensing authorities in Walsall.