Ex-Army Translator Jailed for Seven Years for Edinburgh Rape
A former British Army translator, Abdul Nabizada, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for raping a 19-year-old woman in Edinburgh in 2021. Nabizada was found guilty last month after denying the charges. He will also be placed on the sex offenders register for life.
Key takeaways
- Abdul Nabizada, a former translator for Western militaries, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for rape.
- The crime occurred in Edinburgh in 2021 when Nabizada was working as a private hire driver.
- Nabizada was found guilty of raping a 19-year-old woman after failing to take her home.
- He denied the charges, citing PTSD, but was unanimously convicted by a High Court jury.
- Nabizada will be placed on the sex offenders register for life and faces potential deportation.
Abdul Nabizada, who previously served as an interpreter for British, Danish, and American militaries in Afghanistan, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for the rape of a woman in Edinburgh. The 36-year-old attacked the 19-year-old victim in November 2021 after picking her up from a night out.
Nabizada, who arrived in the UK in 2016 and applied for British citizenship, denied the charges. He claimed to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from an incident in Afghanistan where an explosive device detonated near him. Despite these claims and written references from the Afghan community attesting to his good character, a High Court jury found him guilty last month.
What Happened
The incident occurred on November 13, 2021. The victim, who had been out with friends, entered Nabizada's private hire vehicle on Morrison Street. She was intoxicated and expected to be taken home. During the journey, Nabizada made her feel uncomfortable and repeatedly solicited sexual intercourse, which she refused. He then drove the vehicle to a secluded area in Joppa, near Portobello.
According to the woman's testimony, Nabizada took her phone and struggled with her before raping her inside the car. She subsequently fled the vehicle and hid in bushes. She later reported the incident to a relative.
Key Facts
- Abdul Nabizada, a former army translator, was jailed for seven years.
- The conviction was for the rape of a 19-year-old woman in Edinburgh in 2021.
- Nabizada worked as a private hire driver after moving to the UK in 2016.
- He previously served as an interpreter for British, Danish, and American militaries in Afghanistan.
- The attack occurred after Nabizada failed to take the intoxicated victim home from a night out.
- Nabizada denied the charges and cited PTSD from his military service.
- He was found unanimously guilty at a High Court trial last month.
- Judge John Morris KC described the act as an "appalling betrayal of trust".
- Nabizada was placed on the sex offenders register for life.
- His lawyer indicated he was at risk of deportation due to the conviction.
Background
Nabizada, a father of four, lived in the Pilton area of Edinburgh. He had been granted indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom. In Afghanistan, he worked as a tailor and also as a translator of Farsi, Dari, Pashto, Urdu, and Arabic. His lawyer presented written references from Edinburgh's Afghan community suggesting Nabizada had a previous good character.
Why It Matters
Judge Morris highlighted the seriousness of the rape offense and its potential for long-lasting harm to victims. He specifically noted the victim's vulnerability due to intoxication during the attack. Detective Inspector Kirsty McArthur described the incident as a "shocking attack on a woman in the city". The conviction also carries implications for Nabizada's immigration status, with his lawyer stating he is at risk of deportation.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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