Junaid Iqbal-Wahid had drugged his victim before sexually assaulting her

A man has been jailed for six years after drugging a woman's hot chocolate and then sexually assaulting her.

Junaid Iqbal-Wahid had taken his victim on a drive and when they stopped for a toilet break, the 28-year-old laced the woman's drink with MDMA.

Whilst she drank the contents of the hot chocolate, he went off to pray at a nearby mosque, before returning to the vehicle.

Within minutes the woman became unwell and begged him to take her to hospital. The pair were platonic friends and a judge stated that Iqbal-Wahid had 'taken advantage of her'.

During her ordeal the victim - a devout Muslim who was hoping to marry another man - was kept in the vehicle for up to five hours before she was allowed to seek treatment.

She said the incident in August 2017 had now affected her future marriage plans.

In a statement she said: 'I feel angry and I can't believe he did something like this to me. I feel like I've let myself down.

'I'm not the same person as I was since that night and I don't like to go to social gatherings. This came to me when I noticed a change in myself in social engagement.

Minshull Street Crown Court heard how Iqbal-Wahid had told his victim he was reformed and he had changed

'I have anxiety and shame. It wasn't my fault, I never asked for this to happen to me. I still lose sleep over it.'

She added that some night she replays what happened that night in her mind and that she gets extremely angry that she had let his back in her life.

'I am no longer trusting of men when in public and when I see anyone that resembles him I feel a great deal of anxiety. I feel my heart beating faster and I have the biggest heart pain. I feel physically unwell when I'm in large crowds.

'I am no longer trusting in relationships. I don't know if I'll ever be able to be in a relationship again. It's affected my future outlook.

'I wanted to have a family but now I'm not sure. I want the defendant to know how he has affected me, in more ways than he probably thought he could.

'I do feel angry but I mostly feel sorry for him, I feel sorry that he had to resort to that to get what he wants. During the trial he tried to tarnish my reputation rather than showing remorse for his action.'

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She highlighted that she had even considered moving back to her family home in order to feel safe as she is now afraid of being targeted.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Iqbal-Wahid, from the Longsight area of Manchester was convicted of administering a substance with intent and sexual assault.

He denied wrongdoing but Judge Tina Landale told him: 'You took advantage of a young woman who you knew was searching to find a husband. You knew she was a Muslim and her chastity as a single woman was to be kept safe until she was married.

'You also knew you had tried to engage and that she would not voluntarily engage in sexual contact with you, But she thought you had reformed and you had become more religious and that she could trust you. You then committed these offences to take advantage of her.

'I find there must have been significant planning. You do not use drugs yourself, nor do you consume alcohol. Yet you deliberately bought an illegal class A drug, namely MDMA, in order to stupefy.'

The court heard how he had not revealed where he had purchased the drug or how he had it in his possession.

Judge Landale added: You brought it with you to fulfil the purpose of the drug in order to achieve sexual activity on the prearranged meeting.

'I don't accept this was an opportunistic offence and the only reason you had the drug with you was in order to stupefy her.

'You were repeatedly asking her about having a drink as you were keen for her to consume something. You knew you would be alone with her in the car. This was a prearranged meeting that you took the drug to be used for.

'When she left to use the lavatory, she had a hot chocolate left in the car, and you put the drug in the drink when she was in the ladies toilet. You then insisted that she should consume all of it.'

Iqbal-Wahid put the drugs in the victims drink and insisted that she drink the whole thing

It was at 10.15pm that the victim became very unwell and the judge stated that Iqbal-Wahid did nothing to help her.

'The drug restrained her to the car and she was unable to resist the sexual advances you made towards her.

'You knew she was unwell and she begged to be taken to hospital. I find there was prolonged detention. There was a period of 20 minutes when you went inside the mosque to pray, immediately after she had consumed her drink.

'You returned to her in the car and there was a significant period of time whilst you sexually assaulted her. You refused to take her to hospital. You told her you would not let her die at which she was shocked.

'You assaulted her as she repeatedly asked to be taken to the hospital. She was drugged and in shock after hours in the car, until at 3am you did take her to hospital.'

The victim did not sustain lasting physical injury but the court heard how the psychological effects were still ongoing.

'She has lost trust in men and this has affected her choice to consider getting married. She has been prescribed antidepressants.

'Her social confidence has been affected, her independence is completely extinct as she is now considering giving up living independently and moving home to her family. You have shown absolutely no remorse whatsoever. There was significant planning and prolonged detention, and this was aggravated by the dangerous drug, an illegal class A drug.

'You took steps to prevent her reporting the offence by keeping her in the car. You also concealed evidence by discarding the cup containing the hot chocolate and the drug residues. You have lost your reputation, you will never be able to resume the career you have enjoyed. The sexual assault was a serious one. You touched her and you used the drug to facilitate it. Only a custodial sentence can be justified'.

Iqbal-Wahid was also made subject of a five year restraining order prohibiting him from contacting the woman either directly or indirectly and was ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register.

His lawyer Rachel Shenton said: 'In the victim personal statement there are references to intimidation, but there was never suggestion the defendant was involved. I don't agree with the abuse of trust - this was not a date rape although it was unpleasant and it was undoubtedly a violation.

'This young man appears today as a completely broken individual. He has changed dramatically from how he appeared at the trial, he has lost a considerable amount of weight. Whatever sentence is imposed, his punishment far outweighs that which the court will impose.

'He has lost his career, he'll never work in that field again. He will have to have CRB checks. He was very proud of his job, he was taking pay cuts and he wanted for nothing. He has lost his standing in the community.'

Ms Shenton also added that there had been reprisals in the community and that both the defendants father and sister have had eggs thrown at their house.

'This has had a huge impact on a tight and devout community. He is now not interested in marriage. This has had a profound impact on his family.

'His father is 75, he is in poor health, he has had a triple heart bypass. He moved to Manchester to be the father of the family. His father is frail and he is devastated. All the family has achieved has been lost.

'This was a moment of madness. His family and his girlfriend came to court to speak on his behalf. His girlfriend never found him to be inappropriate at all. His punishment will continue long after his release'.