Kuldip Chahal, 51, was sentenced to seven years in prison and an extended three-year licence period for kidnapping a drunk woman in Newcastle city centre. He was also issued a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
CCTV captures the abduction
Chahal approached the victim, who had become separated from her friends, at around 2.20am on December 21 last year. He helped her up from the floor and guided her to his white VW Golf, parked ten minutes away on Fenkle Street. CCTV footage shows him putting her into the front seat before attempting to drive off.
Police monitoring CCTV as part of Northumbria Police's Operation Salus, which identifies vulnerable women at night, spotted the suspicious activity. Officers on the ground surrounded the car and prevented it from leaving.
Court proceedings and victim impact
Chahal was found guilty of kidnap after a one-week trial at Newcastle Crown Court in May. In a victim impact statement, the 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: "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."
Police commend vigilance
Detective Constable Courtney Cran, who led the investigation, said: "Chahal is a predatory individual who deliberately targeted a lone, vulnerable young woman. He showed absolutely no regard for her welfare or the devastating impact his actions would have." Cran praised the victim's bravery and noted that Operation Salus enabled the swift intervention.
