Pizza delivery driver who sexually assaulted teen jailed for 11 years
Chilling moment married pizza delivery driver, 40, prowls the streets looking for a victim to attack before brutally sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in woodland
- Araz Khdir carried out the violent assault in a wooded area on Teesside
- The distraught girl managed to fight her way free and called her mother
- Khdir was jailed for 11 years and will serve extended licence of period of 4 years
Araz Khdir was jailed for 11 years, he will also serve an extended licence period of four years, bringing the overall sentence to 15 years
A ‘dangerous predator’ who hunted down and sexually attacked a teenager is starting a lengthy jail term of 11 years.
Araz Khdir carried out a violent assault in a wooded area near Ormesby Road in Normanby on Teesside.
The married delivery driver drove round the streets looking for a victim before spotting the 14-year-old girl on February 17 2019, shortly after 9pm.
Khdir had left the takeaway earlier that evening at around 7.40pm to deliver orders and was cruising the streets in his silver BMW.
But according to prosecutors, rather than working, Khdir was actually ‘hunting’ for a victim.
His 14-year-old victim had been visiting a friend and was walking home. Khdir, 40, then turned his car around to follow her.
When the schoolgirl saw a group of youths on the footpath she usually takes, she ‘ironically’ felt scared and walked through the secluded wooded area, known as ‘The Cut,’ instead where Khdir lay in wait – before launching his attack.
Khdir was found guilty after a trial in November and was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday.
Judge Amanda Rippon said: ‘She did not know you had already seen her and marked her out for an attack.
‘As she went through the woodland she heard someone running behind her and as she turned you were on her.’
The victim screamed, but Khdir, wearing a dark hoody and hat, silenced her by putting his hand over her mouth.
‘Give me a kiss’, he said, before throwing her to the floor, getting on top of her, and subjecting his vulnerable young victim to a ‘violent’ sexual assault.
Bravely, the girl managed to fight her way free, and she ran away ‘as fast as she could’ with minor injuries.
The court heard how was told the girl managed to break free, and called her mother who ran to meet her ‘distraught’ daughter near to Teesville Primary School and contacted police.
During the struggle of the sexual assault, the girl had left one of her boots behind in the undergrowth.
CCTV showing the movement of Araz Khdir (circled in car) prior to the attack. Khdir had left the takeaway earlier that evening at around 7.40pm to deliver orders and was cruising the streets in his silver BMW. But according to prosecutors, rather than working, Khdir was actually ‘hunting’ for a victim
Two police officers immediately searched the ‘vast area’. They were looking for the boot, as they knew this would pinpoint them to the crime scene.
But after searching in vain in the dark, the officers were close to delaying the search until daylight – something they didn’t want to do.
But just as they were about to leave, they miraculously stumbled on the girl’s boot.
Beside it, was a black, Thinsulate woolly hat, partly obscured by leaves. The hat was examined by a forensic scientist who found Khdir’s DNA profile on the inner headband.
The girl’s underwear was also analysed. Khdir’s DNA was also present.
The violent assault was carried out in a wooded area near Ormesby Road in Normanby, on Teesside
CCTV showing him prowling the streets was also obtained and officers were then quickly able to detain him.
When they found Khdir he had tape and gloves in the boot of his car, although these were not used in the attack, the court heard.
The judge commended the investigating team in the case for their swift actions.
Sentencing Khdir, she told him his attack on the night of February 17, last year, had a ‘profound’ impact on the girl.
‘She will never forget that night, I have no doubt,’ she said. ‘You are a predator, you have a previous conviction for stalking. You are in my judgement dangerous.’
Khdir, of Marton Grove Road, Grove Hill, Middlesbrough, had denied the offences and stood trial in November charged with sexually assaulting the girl.
In police interview he suggested the reason his hat was at the scene was because he may have previously ‘given it to charity’.
He again lied in a second police statement and said at the time of the attack, he had been carrying out deliveries for a friend at another nearby takeaway.
But he was found guilty by a jury of 12.
Defending him, Annelise Haugstad, said it was ‘a short attack’ and noted his only other prison sentence lasted just 28 days.
Khdir was found guilty after a trial in November and was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday
She also said the case has had a ‘significant impact’ on Khdir’s wife and wider family.
Jailing him for 11 years, Judge Rippon told Khdir, who needed a Kurdish interpreter throughout the hearing, was he must serve at least two-thirds of his prison sentence.
He must also serve an extended licence period of four years, bringing the overall sentence to 15 years.
When released, he will be the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order banning him from contact with anyone under 16 without the knowledge of their parent or guardian who must be made aware of his previous offending.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Cat McKenzie of Cleveland Police, welcomed the sentence and praised the victim for her bravery.
‘Khdir is a vicious predator who targeted a young girl and subjected her to a horrendous sexual assault,’ she said.
‘In pleading not guilty, he forced her to relive the incident in court and I would like to praise her for her immense courage in coming forward and giving evidence.
‘Thankfully, incidents of this nature are rare but other young girls will now be safeguarded from Khdir, whilst he spends a lengthy period in prison.
‘I hope that today’s sentence will go some way towards helping the young victim move forward with her life.’
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