Predator private hire driver caught at airport after raping vulnerable intoxicated passenger
- Perry Richardson
- Jul 13
- 2 min read
A private hire driver who raped a vulnerable young woman after picking her up without a pre-booking has been jailed following a trial at Manchester Crown Court.
Khalafalla Yagoub, 46, was sentenced on Monday 13 July after being found guilty of rape last month.
According to Greater Manchester Police, he received an 11-year custodial sentence together with a five-year extended licence period, meaning he will remain on licence after his release. The court also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and a restraining order.
The offence followed an incident in the early hours of 29 November 2025. The court heard that the 19-year-old victim had been out in Manchester with friends before leaving a bar at around 3am. Although intoxicated and in a vulnerable state, she entered Yagoub’s vehicle despite not having booked the journey.
After driving the woman to her home, Yagoub raped her. During police interviews, he claimed he had helped the woman and that the sexual activity had been consensual, describing it as a “gift” for driving her home. Investigators established that account to be false.
In the days after the attack, the victim reported feeling unwell before receiving a phone call from Yagoub. During the conversation, he referred to what had happened between them, leading the woman to realise she had been raped while intoxicated and unable to remember the events clearly.
Greater Manchester Police said she had initially believed the fragmented memories she retained were part of a dream before bravely reporting the incident.
Officers launched an urgent investigation and attempted to locate Yagoub. Police later discovered he was due to board a flight to Istanbul on 3 December 2025 and arrested him at the airport before he could leave the country.
During the trial, the victim gave evidence in court. Greater Manchester Police said Yagoub was seen laughing while her statement was being read aloud, behaviour that was later referenced by the sentencing judge during their remarks.
Detective Constable Oliver Smith, from Greater Manchester Police, said: “Yagoub picked up a vulnerable woman and took advantage of her while she was in no fit state to consent. His actions were vile and I want to commend the woman for her bravery in coming forward – this work has been about ensuring justice for her.
“He spun a web of lies during his police interview, claiming various falsehoods about how he had helped her and that everything that happened was consensual. None of this was true.
“He is now behind bars where he belongs, and I hope that this result can bring some level of closure to his victim.”
