Uber driver jailed for unprotected sex with teenage runaway, 15, who complied as she felt 'helpless'

An Uber driver had sex with a teenager whom he had met after she ran away from home, despite knowing that she was underage.

Isyam Rahmat, 36, was jailed for 14 months on Monday (May 7) after pleading guilty last month to one count of having sex with the minor, who was then 15 years old.

According to The Straits Times, the girl left home on Jan 19 last year over family issues and was waiting for a taxi in Elias Road, Pasir Ris, that evening when Isyam drove by.

When he stopped his car and asked the girl where she was headed, she told him that she wanted to go to Downtown East in nearby Pasir Ris Close. He offered to give her a lift there.

Although the girl initially declined, she got into Isyam's car after he insisted taking her there.

The girl then told him her age and he treated her to a meal at a fast-food restaurant.

After asking the girl if she could hang out, Isyam called a friend to ask about hotels and chalets that did not need customers' identity cards to check in.

He then drove her to a multi-storey carpark and started touching her right thigh. She pushed him away and he took her back to Elias Road. She later spent the night at the void deck of a block of flats, the court heard.

The following day at about 4pm, the girl called Isyam as she was bored. He picked her up around three hours later. His friend, Jamalludin Abdullah, 65, was in the back seat.

After dinner, Isyam drove to places such as East Coast Park and Changi Beach. At every location, the two men looked for secluded places which did not have police closed-circuit television cameras.

Isyam finally drove to Jamalludin's home in Punggol Central at around 4am on Jan 21 last year and the trio went to a staircase landing on the 16th storey.

Although scared and having thought of running away, the girl was unfamiliar with the neighbourhood and therefore did not leave.

Jamalludin went home and Isyam had unprotected sex with the minor. The girl complied as she felt helpless.

Jamalludin later returned and asked the teenager to have sex with him but she refused.

Isyam then took her back to Elias Road and she made a police report later that morning.

Both men were arrested the next day.

Read the full story on The Straits Times.