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Shattered Rape ordeal driver may seek solace back in Bangladesh
31/ 8/2004
A MAN who was cleared of rape fears he may have to go back to
Bangladesh because his life in the UK is shattered.
Ziaul Haque said he spent nine months of hell in Strangeways
Prison, Manchester, falsely accused of raping a 15-year-old girl
and, in an unrelated incident, raping a 22-year-old woman.
Speaking trough his solicitor, Ash Alam, 23-year-old Mr Haque of
Cecil Road, Eccles, said he did not dare tell other prisoners what
he was 'in for'.
"I told everyone I was in for violent assault. This has been
devastating for me and my family, Not one of us has ever been in
trouble."
The ordeal has been so terrible that he feels only the refuge of
his family in Bangladesh can heal his mental scars.
His ordeal began in March 2003 when he picked up the girl who was
walking home from a night out at the Trafford Centre.
He believed she was much older than she was. He said the girl
willingly got into his car and then had consensual sex with
him.
After the girl claimed she had been raped Mr Haque was identified
by his DNA.
Said Mr Haque: "I realise now what I did was foolish, but that is
only with the benefit if hindsight. At the time I honestly believed
I was with a much older teenager."
The girl also claimed she had been raped earlier that night by a
man she also met while walking home. Police arrested two men but
the charges were dropped before they reached court.
Freeing Mr Haque Judge Timothy Mort said he was leaving the dock
without a stain on his character.
His legal team will now launch a legal battle to get compensation
from the Home Office because the "irreparable damage" done.
Speaking through and interpreter devout Muslim Mr Haque said: "When
I was arrested it was a terrifying experience. I was arrested at
2am when I returned from work.
"I was put in Strangeways where I lied and said I was in for
fighting as I was so scared what would happen to me if people knew
the truth."
Mr Haque was also accused of raping a 22-year-old woman but the
charge was dropped as a senior detective believed she was
lying.
Mr Haque said he had consensual sex with this woman who he met in
Eccles.
He said: "After the second allegation came I felt like I was going
to die in prison. I was absolutely shattered."
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