Newcastle man who raped 14-year-old girl in his car has been jailed

A “despicable offender” who raped a 14-year-old girl in his car has been jailed for nine years.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Kajal Miah, 39, took the teenager with him when he drove to a remote location in January 2023 and forced himself on her.

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 abuse.

Prosecutor Lee Fish said the rape was interrupted when Miah, a convicted drug dealer, received a phone call.

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 in the end Miah told her to “keep it her little secret,” the prosecutor said.

Miah denied any wrongdoing to police but forensic tests proved he had had sex with the girl, the court heard.

In a statement read out in court, the girl said: “When it happened, it felt like it was the end of the world.”

She said she was unable to “move on,” dropped out of school, stopped seeing her friends and sought medical and psychiatric help.

“I feel insecure all the time,” she said, adding that she can no longer trust people.

The court heard that Miah had a number of previous convictions and had been cautioned three times at the age of 17 for having a sexual relationship with a girl under the age of 16.

In mitigation, Glenn Gatland said Miah was attacked in retaliation within two days of the rape and suffered a ruptured pancreas, splintered spine and a fractured skull.

But Judge Tim Gittins said Miah’s history of domestic violence and “violent” offenses against women showed “the contempt” he held for them.

He said Miah abused the girl in a “calculated” and “terrifying” manner for his own “sexual gratification” and caused her “significant, long-lasting trauma.”

The judge said the girl was “understandably very frightened” by the ordeal.

He added that Miah had shown a “lack of remorse” and initially “shamefully blamed” the girl for the incident.

Miah was also given a lifetime sexual violence prevention order, prohibiting him from living with or having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16.

After the verdict, Det. Con Claire Ashurst of Northumbria Police praised the victim for her “courage and strength” in reporting Miah.

“This was an absolutely horrific ordeal for Miah’s victim and something no child should ever have to go through,” Ms Ashurst said.

“Miah is a despicable predator who more than deserves his punishment, and our communities have undoubtedly become a safer place as a result.”