24/05/2024
Officers have praised the bravery of a survivor of who helped put a rapist behind bars for nine years.
Kajal Miah was jailed for raping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in his car.
Newcastle Crown Court heard how the 39-year-old had preyed on the schoolgirl in 2023, forcing her to engage in sexual acts with him.
Police were immediately called and an investigation was launched.
Miah was subsequently arrested and later charged but continued to deny the attack.
In September last year, he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to rape and sexual assault.
And yesterday (Thursday), a judge at the same court sentenced Miah, of Westgate Court, Newcastle, to nine years imprisonment.
He will also spend the rest of his life on the Sex Offenders’ Register and was given a life-long Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
The officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Constable Claire Ashurst, of Northumbria Police’s Safeguarding department, said: “This was an absolutely horrendous ordeal for Miah’s victim and something no child should ever have to go through.
“Without her bravery and strength, Miah would not be behind bars and his offending may never have been uncovered – and this is something she should be incredibly proud of herself for.
“Thanks to her immediate reporting of this offence, we were able to swiftly gather crucial DNA evidence which helped us to secure a conviction.
“Miah is a vile predator who more than deserves his sentence and our communities are undoubtedly a safer place because of this.”
Det Con Ashurst added: “As a Force, protecting and supporting vulnerable victims is our top priority and we will continue to work round the clock to put offenders before the courts and ensure that no one gets away with this type of criminality.
“If you have been a victim, we’d encourage you to take that first step and come forward – you will be listened to, and you will be supported.”
To report a sexual offence, report via the ‘Report’ page of the Northumbria Police website or via 101.
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A “vile predator” who raped a 14-year-old girl in his car has been jailed for nine years.
Kajal Miah, 39, was giving the teenager a lift when he drove to a secluded place and forced himself upon her in January 2023, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
The girl said she was drunk at the time and the attack “felt like the end of the world”.
Miah, of Westgate Court in Newcastle, admitted rape and sexual assault.
Prosecutor Lee Fish said the rape was interrupted when Miah, a heavily convicted drug dealer, received a phone call.
‘Little secret’
Mr Fish said the victim did not know where the attack took place but it was a “dark place” and she “froze” when Miah started touching her.
She said the rape was “painful” and at its conclusion Miah told her it “should remain their little secret”, the prosecutor said.
Miah denied all wrongdoing to police but forensic tests proved his guilt, the court heard.
In a statement read to the court, the girl said: “When it first happened it felt like it was the end of the world.”
She said she had been unable to “move on”, had dropped out of school, stopped seeing her friends and sought medical and psychiatric help.
“I feel unsafe all the time,” she said, adding she could no longer trust people.
The court heard Miah had multiple previous convictions and, when he was 17, received three cautions for having a sexual relationship with a girl under the age of 16.
‘Terrifying’
In mitigation, Glenn Gatland said within two days of the rape Miah was attacked in retribution and suffered a ruptured pancreas, chips on his spine and a skull fracture.
But Judge Tim Gittins said Miah’s history of domestic abuse and “violent” offending against women indicated “the contempt” which which he regarded them.
He said Miah abused the girl for his own “sexual gratification” in a “calculated” and “terrifying” way and had caused “significant long-lasting trauma”.
The judge said the girl was “understandably terrified” by the ordeal.
He added Miah showed a “lack of remorse” and initially “disgracefully blamed” the girl for what had happened.
Miah was also made subject of a lifelong sexual harm prevention order banning him from living with or having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16.
Speaking after sentencing, Det Con Claire Ashurst of Northumbria Police praised the victim for her “bravery and strength” in reporting Miah.
“This was an absolutely horrendous ordeal for Miah’s victim and something no child should ever have to go through,” Ms Ashurst said.
“Miah is a vile predator who more than deserves his sentence and our communities are undoubtedly a safer place because of this.”