Bolton Crown Court heard that the former approached several women in central Warrington in the early hours of Sunday, October 31 2021, after a night out before ‘selecting his target’ and walking her to a taxi rank.

At around 5am, Thirunilam – of Cronulla Drive in Great Sankey – then drove them to Mahmood’s home in Atherton.

As he did so, the woman fell asleep and the latter sexually assaulted and attempted to rape the teen in the back seats during an hour-long trip – the vehicle having initially been bound for Liverpool before altering its course – as his driver watched in the rear view mirror and ‘made licking gestures with his tongue’.

Mahmood, of Brooklands Avenue, ‘forcefully pulled the victim from the vehicle’ and carried her into his address upon arrival and continued to attack her as she slipped in and out of conscious.

She fled to a nearby store to seek help after waking up in a ‘distressed state’ nearly two hours later, not knowing where she was or how she had got there.

The two defendants did not know each other before the shocking assault, with Thirunilam having been paid off to turn a blind eye to what was happening in his cab.

Mahmood was caged for nine years, after the 40-year-old admitted four counts of sexual assault and attempted rape – as well as being found guilty of three further charges of sexual assault and one of attempted rape following a four-day trial.

Thirunilam, 49, was locked up for 18 months after pleading guilty to two offences of aiding and abetting an offender.

Thirunilam was also made to sign the sex offenders’ register, while his taxi licence was previously suspended by Warrington Borough Council.