A TAXI driver faces jail after being convicted of picking up a teenage boy and raping him in his car.

It took a jury of eight men and four women just three and a half hours to unanimously find Shahbaz Ahmed guilty of raping the 15-year-old boy.

During a three day trial at Bolton Crown Court they had heard how the boy, who is now aged 16, was walking home along Thicketford Road, Tonge Moor in the early hours of July 13 last year after spending the evening with friends.

Metro Cars private hire driver Ahmed was working that night when he spotted the teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, and offered him a lift, telling the boy, “You shouldn’t be walking around at this time. It’s dangerous.”

The teenager told the court he thought the driver was just being kind, but after stopping briefly outside the boy’s home, Ahmed then drove to the car park at Harwood Golf Club.

There he forced the boy to perform a sex act on him. The teenager said he was too terrified to run away because he feared Ahmed would run him over with the car.

After the ordeal Ahmed, a 35-year-old married father-of-three, drove the boy home and the teenager told adults what had happened.

DNA from Ahmed was found on the boy and the taxi driver, of Parkfield Road, Great Lever, was arrested.

He admitted a sexual act had taken place, but claimed it was at the teenager’s instigation, adding that the boy had pulled out a knife and threatened to hurt himself if he did not take part.

Ahmed stood emotionless in the dock as the guilty verdict was read out and his defence counsel Wayne Jackson, requesting an adjournment until September 6 for reports to be prepared before sentence is passed, conceded: “A custodial sentence of some length will follow.”

Judge Timothy Stead told Ahmed: “The matter you have been found guilty of is a serious one. In all the circumstances you will be remanded in custody between now and September.”

Ahmed was also told he will be placed on the sex offenders register and is now barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.