Javid Iqbal

A Bolton man, Javid Iqbal, has been sentenced to five years in prison for raping a 22-year-old woman in the back of his ice-cream van. The incident occurred on 23 May 2006, when the victim was walking towards Bolton and encountered Iqbal, who was operating an ice-cream van. She entered the van, and he drove to Alders Lane, where he carried out the assault before throwing her out and fleeing the scene.

The victim promptly reported the attack to the police, who obtained a DNA profile from her. Despite this evidence, Iqbal evaded capture for several years, continuing to operate his ice-cream van in the Tonge Moor area of Bolton. Three months after the rape, the victim spotted the van again and provided the police with its registration number, which proved crucial to the investigation.

Nearly three years later, in June 2009, officers from Greater Manchester Police stopped an ice-cream van on Derby Street in Bolton as part of an operation targeting unlicensed street traders. This chance encounter led to Iqbal's arrest. He was charged with rape and possessing false documents, revealing his status as a 43-year-old illegal immigrant from Pakistan. The trial took place at Bolton Crown Court, where Iqbal was convicted.

In addition to the five-year custodial sentence, Iqbal was served with a deportation order. Detective Constable Declan O'Reilly of Greater Manchester Police commented on the case, stating: 'Iqbal continued to parade around the town as if he had done nothing wrong. It must have been galling for the victim to see him a second time going about his business, but thankfully she was able to make a note of his registration which was key to us identifying Iqbal.' The conviction brought closure to a prolonged investigation, highlighting the persistence of both the victim and the authorities.

This case underscores the challenges in pursuing sexual offence perpetrators, particularly when they integrate back into daily life post-crime. Sources: BBC News, Greater Manchester Police.