Kuldip Chahal, 51, was sentenced to seven years in prison with an extended licence period of three years after being found guilty of kidnapping a drunk woman he targeted while posing as a taxi driver in Newcastle city centre. He was also made subject to a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Chilling CCTV captures predator's actions
Chilling CCTV footage shows Chahal dragging the lone victim into his white VW Golf after she became separated from her friends during a night out. The incident occurred at around 2.20am on December 21 last year. The woman was waiting for a taxi when Chahal approached her, helped her up from the floor, and put his arm around her before guiding her to his parked car ten minutes away on Fenkle Street. The footage shows him putting the woman into the front seat before officers surrounded his vehicle.
Police intervention prevented abduction
Officers monitoring CCTV as part of Northumbria Police's Operation Salus, which identifies vulnerable women at night, spotted Chahal's suspicious behaviour and directed ground officers to stop the vehicle before it could drive away. Detective Constable Courtney Cran, who led the investigation for Newcastle's CID, said: 'Firstly, I would like to commend the victim-survivor, who has shown immense bravery, resilience, and composure throughout the full investigation and the lengthy criminal proceedings that followed. Chahal is a predatory individual who deliberately targeted a lone, vulnerable young woman who was simply trying to get home safely after a night out with friends.'
Victim's impact statement reveals lasting trauma
Giving evidence in court, the unnamed woman said: 'Before this happened, I was a confident and sociable young woman who enjoyed spending time with my friends. I never imagined that something so frightening could happen to me whilst simply spending time with friends. What happened that night has changed me.' She added: 'Since that night, I have struggled to feel safe in situations that I previously would not have thought twice about. The thing I struggle with most is knowing that I was vulnerable and that somebody chose to take advantage of that vulnerability. I was a young woman trying to get home after a night out with friends. Instead, I became the target of a man more than twice my age who saw my vulnerability and chose to exploit it. I was not seen as a person. I was seen as an opportunity. That is something I find incredibly difficult to come to terms with.'
Conviction after trial and denial
Chahal was found guilty of kidnap following a one-week trial at Newcastle Crown Court in May. He had denied any wrongdoing, forcing the victim to relive her trauma during the trial. Det Con Cran added: 'He showed absolutely no regard for her welfare or the devastating impact his actions would have, repeatedly denying any wrongdoing and forcing her to relive her trauma during the trial. Working alongside neighbourhood policing colleagues and key partners, I was quickly able to unravel Chahal’s web of lies and present clear evidence of his intentions that evening.'
Operation Salus praised for vigilance
Det Con Cran highlighted the role of Operation Salus: 'Operation Salus exists to identify vulnerability, with officers on hand to intervene in any situations which appear concerning or unsafe in the city centre. Thanks to the vigilance of officers that evening, who saw something was not quite right, they were quickly able to intervene and bring Chahal to a stop.' The woman, who suffers with anxiety and stress in the aftermath, concluded: 'What hurts most is that I no longer feel like the same person I was before this happened. I feel angry that somebody else’s choices have changed so much for me. I feel angry that I lost confidence in myself. I feel angry that I missed important moments with my friends because of the anxiety this has caused me. I feel angry that I now think twice about doing things that used to make me happy.'
