Man pretended to be taxi driver before raping woman

The court heard that Barzan Nawshowani continued to protest his innocence

A man who pretended to be a taxi driver before abducting and raping a woman in a barber shop has been jailed for six years.

Barzan Nawshowani, 38, assaulted the woman at KS Turkish Barbers in Glasgow's Dennistoun area on 7 August 2022.

Nawshowani had posed as a taxi driver to pick up his victim and her friend after a city centre night out.

Judge Lord Colbeck said the victim had suffered "psychological harm" as a result of the attack.

At the High Court in Glasgow, Nawshowani was found guilty of abduction and rape.

After dropping off one of the women, Nawshowani went on to take the victim into the barber shop where he worked and closed the shutters.

He then switched off the CCTV to the premises before going on to rape her.

Lord Colbeck said: "You did not know your victim - she believed you were a taxi driver...

"I have regard to the psychological harm suffered which is harrowingly demonstrated in her victim impact statement.

"You targeted someone who was vulnerable at the time of the offence due to her consumption of alcohol."

Protest innocence

He added: "You admitted turning off the CCTV in the barber shop which concealed evidence.

"No responsibility has been accepted for the offence and you blame the victim, accusing her of lying about what happened.

"Having considered the circumstances of this case, I am satisfied there is no other method of dealing with you other than a lengthy custodial sentence."

Nawshowani, a married father-of-two, was also put on the sex offenders register for an indefinite period.

Sarah Livingstone, defending, earlier told the court that Nawshowani, who is Kurdish, continued to protest his innocence.

She added that he had a "fairly tragic life" with his parents and siblings being killed in a terrorist attack before he came to Scotland.

Nawshowani shook his head at the verdict before being led to the cells.