Former Loughborough taxi driver found guilty of 2006 rape following DNA breakthrough
- Perry Richardson
- Sep 4
- 3 min read
A former Loughborough taxi driver has been found guilty of raping a 19-year-old university student after a DNA match identified him nearly two decades after the offence.
Mahbubur Rahman, now 50 and living in Chadderton, Greater Manchester, was convicted at Leicester Crown Court following a trial into the attack that occurred in October 2006. At the time, Rahman was working as a licensed taxi driver in the Loughborough area.
The victim, a student at Loughborough University, was picked up by Rahman shortly after 2.15am in the early hours of Saturday 7 October 2006. The vehicle stopped at an ATM on Greenclose Lane before Rahman drove her to a car park in Chestnut Street, where he raped her in the back of his car.
Following the incident, the victim made her way home and police were immediately called. Investigators recovered forensic evidence, including the victim’s underwear found at the scene, and collected DNA samples. Despite extensive enquiries, including reviews of CCTV footage and checks with local taxi operators, the driver was not identified at the time. The case was filed in 2009 pending new evidence.
In April 2022, Rahman was arrested on suspicion of burglary in an unrelated matter. As part of routine procedures, a DNA sample was taken and cross-checked against the national database. The result produced an exact match with the previously unidentified sample collected in 2006.
Rahman was arrested and later charged with rape in January 2023. He denied the offence, initially claiming no contact took place before later suggesting the act was consensual.
Following a full review of the case file and supporting evidence, he was found guilty on Wednesday 3 September 2025. Sentencing will take place at a later date.
The officer in the case, Detective Constable Kristina Page-Brown, said police had worked to establish Rahman’s location and employment in 2006 and commended the victim for her continued strength throughout the long investigation.
Rahman had no prior known history with police before his arrest in 2022.
DC Page-Brown added: “The victim trusted Rahman to take her home after a night out in Loughborough. Instead, he abused that trust and took advantage of a vulnerable woman in the worst way imaginable. He has evaded justice for far too long and throughout has shown no remorse or regret for what he did. I am pleased he has now been made to answer for the crime but also relieved for the victim that the man who caused irreversible damage to her life now faces years behind bars.”
Detective Inspector Mike Chandler, Senior Investigating Officer, said: “Bringing offenders to justice – no matter how long ago a crime may have been committed – is a critical part of our duty.
“Unsolved cases will always be reinvestigated should new evidence or information come to light. In this case the crime was filed in 2009, but when the DNA match was identified the case was reopened and detectives set to work to review the original material from the case, as well as carrying out new enquiries to build a case against the perpetrator.
“This work was vital in strengthening the already compelling case and has helped to secure today’s conviction at court.
“We would encourage anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence to speak to us. We have a dedicated team of detectives who will listen to you and support you throughout any investigation.”
