‘Monster’ paid off taxi driver to let him sexually assault teenager in cab - as cabbie watched

Omed Mahmood and Jojo Joseph Thirunilam did not even know each other before the horrific sexual assault near Wigan.
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A man who paid off a taxi driver in order to sexually assault an unconscious teenager while she was in the back of his cab has been jailed for nine years.

A court heard Omed Mahmood, 39, of Brooklands Avenue, Atherton, near Wigan, had been in a club in Warrington in the early hours on Sunday 31 October last year.

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He later approached an 18-year-old woman and walked with her to a nearby taxi rank. He was captured on CCTV pulling the girl into a taxi when she tried to walk off.

When the girl passed out, Mahmood was seen giving the taxi driver, Jojo Joseph Thirunilam, cash to turn the car around and drive an hour to his home address.

Thirunilam, who did not know Mahmood, agreed and watched the girl’s horrific ordeal from the front seat, while making licking gestures.

Once inside Mahmood’s flat, he sexually assaulted her over two hours until the terrified teenager escaped to a nearby shop where police were called.

Taxi driver Jojo Joseph Thirunilam has been jailed Credit: GMPTaxi driver Jojo Joseph Thirunilam has been jailed Credit: GMP
Taxi driver Jojo Joseph Thirunilam has been jailed Credit: GMP

What happened at court?

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Mahmood pleaded guilty to attempted rape and four counts of sexual assault in the taxi, and following a trial which ended on 3 March 2022, he was found guilty of attempt rape, sexual assault by penetration and two counts of sexual assault in connection to the offences in his address. He was jailed for nine years at Bolton Crown Court.

Thirunilam pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding Mahmood to commit the sexual offences earlier this year and was jailed today for 18 months at Bolton Crown Court. He has also been made to sign onto the Sexual Offender Register and his taxi licence was suspended by the council.

Detective Sergeant Andrew Devine, from GMP’s Wigan CID, said: “First and foremost, our thoughts are with the victim and her family who have understandably been through a horrific time, especially during the trial where explicit details were heard.

“Detectives immediately launched an investigation and arrested Mahmood within 48 hours of the incident. They carefully pieced together hours off CCTV to understand the events of that night.

Omed Khalid Mahmood has been jailed over an attack in a taxi Credit: GMPOmed Khalid Mahmood has been jailed over an attack in a taxi Credit: GMP
Omed Khalid Mahmood has been jailed over an attack in a taxi Credit: GMP
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“Mahmood is a sexual predator and his monstrous actions that saw him prey on a vulnerable young woman are absolutely unspeakable. I’m glad he is behind bars and the streets are a safer place for women without him. Thirunilam could have helped the victim and prevented the sexual assaults from happening in his vehicle, but instead he chose to watch and encourage Mahmood despite not even knowing him.

“Violence against women and girls is one of GMP’s priorities and officers are working every day to make the region a safer place. We will use absolutely every power we have available to us to protect women from perpetrators like these two men.”

  • If you have been affected by this article, you can contact Manchester Rape Crisis here.