Former translator for British Army in Afghanistan jailed in Scotland for raping teenage passenger in his taxi

A former translator for the British Army who became a taxi driver after arriving in Scotland from Afghanistan has been jailed for seven years for raping a female passenger.

Abdul Nabizada, 36, preyed on the 19-year-old student during a journey in Edinburgh on 13 November 2021.

Nabizada denied any wrongdoing during a trial at the city's high court but was found guilty last month and remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing on Tuesday.

Judge John Morris KC said: "The offence of rape is an extremely serious one, and can have long-lasting consequences on complainers as it has done on this one.

"Your victim was particularly vulnerable, because she was obviously intoxicated.

"It constituted an appalling betrayal of trust in that it was committed when you were in a position of trust - you were a taxi driver taking the young woman home.

"In all the circumstances only a custodial sentence can be imposed."

Jurors heard how the passenger had been on a night out with friends, but decided to leave early. She told of how private hire taxi driver Nabizada made her feel uncomfortable by asking to have sex with her.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, testified: "I said 'no'. I had a boyfriend."

Instead of driving her home, Nabizada took her to a secluded area in the city's Joppa suburb, where he detained the passenger against her will, seized her mobile phone, touched her body, struggled with her, and subjected her to a painful rape.

She said: "I kept on asking him, 'please stop it, please stop touching me'. It was horrible."

The victim fled from the taxi following Nabizada's attack, and hid in nearby bushes before raising the alarm about what had happened.

Nabizada denied any wrongdoing.

He told the jurors about how he came to Scotland after working as a translator for the US, Danish and UK militaries in his Afghan homeland.

He said: "I had the choice of coming to the US, the UK or Denmark. I chose to come to Britain."

Nabizada, a first offender, told the court he was married, and had previously worked as a tailor in his homeland.

He added: "I am a native Farsi speaker. I can speak Dari, Pashto, Urdu, and I understand Arabic. I also speak English."

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said Police Scotland conducted an extensive investigation to track down the rapist, as there was no legitimate booking record linking the victim to Nabizada.

Officers gathered evidence from multiple sources to help establish the movements of both the victim and the offender, including CCTV footage, mobile phone data and witness testimony.

COPFS said CCTV footage from Queen's Bay Crescent showed Nabizada repeatedly returning to the area after the attack.

Forensic analysis also found Nabizada's DNA on the teenager's clothing, providing further evidence to support the Crown case.

Judge Morris was told that father-of-four Nabizada continues to maintain his innocence.

Defence advocate David Taylor told the court that his client had been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK, and had applied for British citizenship.

However, the lawyer said Nabizada is now concerned about the possibility of deportation in light of his conviction.

"The risk of deportation hangs over him," he said.

Mr Taylor also spoke about the rapist's service with Western militaries, and said his time acting as a translator had left him with psychological issues.

He said: "His proximity to an IED improvised explosive device] has left him suffering from some aspects of post-traumatic stress disorder."

As well as the seven-year jail term, Nabizada was additionally placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely, and banned from contacting his victim.

Read more from Sky News:
Refugee jailed for sex attacks on two women
Men jailed for murdering 'beloved' father

Faye Cook, procurator fiscal for High Court sexual offences, said while "stranger offending is rare", COPFS treats every report of sexual abuse with the "utmost seriousness".

She added: "This conviction is the result of the victim's courage in coming forward, and the determined work of police officers to uncover what happened that night.

"Officers had to piece together evidence from a range of sources to identify the offender, and build the case that was presented in court.

"The victim should have been able to trust that her journey home would be safe.

"Instead, she was seriously sexually assaulted by a taxi driver who took advantage of her vulnerability and abused his position, resulting in a deeply traumatic experience."

(c) Sky News 2026: Former translator for British Army in Afghanistan jailed in Scotland for raping