A TAXI driver who sexually assaulted a teenage girl in his vehicle has been jailed for three years and seven months.

The 16-year-old girl was terrified during the late night ordeal and thought she was going to be raped, a court was told.

Saghir Ahmed, 36, of Fleet Street, Nelson, had admitted assault by penetration at an earlier hearing.

Judge Christopher Cornwall, sentencing at Preston Crown Court, that the incident had been "dreadful."

"You left her utterly traumatized. This was a gross breach of trust," he said.

In a victim impact statement the girl had said: "This man just does not realise what he has done."

Mr Graham Pickavance, prosecuting, told the court the 16-year-old girl had been sleeping overnight at a friend's house, but had stomach cramps and decided to go home.

She had no credit on her mobile and there was no land line at the address so she walked into Earby to get a taxi in the early hours of March 18.

The taxi office was closed so she walked to the main road and saw a taxi and asked if it was going to Barnoldswick. She got into Ahmed's car and sat in the front seat.

Instead of turning left where the girl wanted to be dropped off, he drove straight on and stopped in a layby and turned the car engine off.

Mr Pickavance said Ahmed started to kiss the girl's face and neck and she told him to stop. He then indecently assaulted her. "She was more than distressed crying, begging to be let out. He offered to take her home, but she refused," said Mr Pickavance.

The girl managed to get in contact with her mother who collected her and she was told of what had happened. The mother went to Colne police station and on the way there saw a taxi and took down the registration number.

Ahmed was arrested at 10.40am the same day.

When interviewed Ahmed at first denied ever picking up the girl.

After being told she had picked him out on a video identification parade he changed his story and accepted he had picked the girl up and taken her to Barnoldswick.

He said it was the girl who had come onto him and she had instigated the incident and he did his best to fight her off.

Mr Pickavance said scrapings from Ahmed's fingernails were taken and DNA matched the girl's.

Mr Martin Hackett, defending, said Ahmed, whose wife is expecting a baby in November, was of previous good character and had pleaded guilty saving the girl from giving evidence reliving her distressing experience.

A Sexual Offences Prevention Order was made for 10 years preventing Ahmed from having access to children under 18 unless they are supervised by an appropriate adult. He is also prevented from doing paid or unpaid work concerning taxis or any public transport until further order. Ahmed will also be on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Det Insp Dean Holden, of Burnley CID, said: "We are relatively pleased with the length of sentence which sends out a strong message to people who committ these sort of offences.

"I would like to pay tribute to the victim who showed a great deal of resilience and determination to see this case through to the end."