Southampton cab driver jailed for sexual assault in car park

Hardeep Landa, 30, sexually assaulted a 21-year-old woman in a Southampton car park after a night out.

In a victim statement read out in court today, the woman described ‘feeling so dirty.’

She said: “[I felt] disgusted with myself.

“I weirdly felt guilty…like a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“I have never experienced this feeling before in my life. It made my skin crawl.

“After I had a shower, I still felt like I wasn’t clean. I scrubbed and scrubbed like I was nearly scrubbing my skin off.

“I came out of the shower red.”

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Southampton Crown Court heard how the woman had been with friends at a bar that evening.

She had plans to visit friends in the Bournemouth area later that night, but never arrived.

She was attacked by Landa in a St Mary’s Road car park.

She was found by her friends and security staff from The Edge nightclub in the back of the licenced private hire vehicle in a state of undress.

Her shoes were found in the front footwell of the car, her mobile phone was on the driver’s seat. Landa’s shoes were in the back alongside his mobile phone.

Passing sentence, Judge Brian Forster KC described Landa’s actions and behaviour that evening as ‘both criminal and shocking’.

He told the defendant: "You took advantage of a very impaired young female and continued to assault her for your own sexual gratification."

He also commended the CPS for ‘the way they have handled a difficult case’.

Landa was jailed for six years and eight months.

Hardeep Landa (Image: Hampshire Constabulary)

Detective Constable Emma Cooke, who led the investigation, said: “This was a vile attack on a woman who was clearly in a very vulnerable state that evening.

“Hardeep Landa showed no regard for the woman’s safety. He simply took it upon himself to prey on her vulnerable status in order to take advantage of her for his own sexual gratification.

“The impact that his actions have had on the woman are unmeasurable. It is clear to see that these have had a lasting, damaging effect on her.

“Whilst today’s sentence cannot take away the pain and agony that she has had to deal with on a day-to-day basis following the harrowing incident, we hope that this provides her with some closure.

“He is now behind bars for an extended period of time and can no longer cause her, or others in the community, harm.

“We know that this incident will have an impact on how women and young girls may view licenced taxi drivers in Southampton going forward, but we want to re-iterate that the vast majority of taxi drivers are genuine and have no intentions of causing harm to their customers.

“However, it is important to be careful and put plans in place to ensure your own personal safety.

“We would advise people using taxis whilst out in the night time economy to, where possible, travel in a larger group – so you’re not left alone and feeling vulnerable.

“If you do enter a taxi on your own; consider noting down the drivers name and appearance, licence registration plate and make/model and colour of the vehicle.

“This will help identify any vehicle in the event of an investigation.

“Always ensure friends or family know that you have got into a taxi, at what time and details of your final destination.

"After all, it is better to be safe and for those closest to you to know that you are home safely after a night out.”

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The court also heard how Southampton City Council officers from the Licensing Team worked with Hampshire police during the investigation to identify Landa as a licensed private hire driver.

Council officers revoked his licence with immediate effect at the earliest opportunity.

Footage from a camera inside the vehicle captured the assault – which was subsequently provided by the council as evidence – which played a ‘critical’ role in securing a conviction.

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Phil Bates, Licensing Manager at Southampton City Council, said: “The council undertake robust checks on all drivers licensed by them, including an enhanced police check every six months.

“This case highlights the excellent working relationship between the police and council officers by facilitating in the immediate revocation of the licence and the sharing of evidence, it also appears to be a prime example of the benefits of mandating the fitting of permanently recording taxi cameras.

“Southampton City Council led the way in mandating cameras in taxis are fully operational throughout journeys carrying passengers – and we remain one of a small number of councils to do so.

“This helps to ensure that Southampton-based licenced taxis are a safer option than licensed taxis elsewhere.

“We would like to reassure people that travel by taxi in Southampton is a safe option for people travelling around late at night.”

Landa was also made subject of a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for an indefinite period.

In a previous hearing on April 18, Landa, of Northumberland Road, pleaded guilty to one count of assault by penetration and two counts of sexual assault.