Jailed: Walsall taxi driver got girl, 14, to expose herself
A Walsall taxi driver who got a 14-year-old schoolgirl to expose herself has been locked up for two-and-a-half years.
Judge Nicholas Cartwright told 36-year-old Amjad Khan he had been in a position of trust adding: "You targeted a particularly vulnerable girl."
Khan, of Durham Place, had denied inciting a girl under 16 to engage in sexual activity but he was found guilty at the end of his trial.
The incident took place some time between August and October in 2014.
Miss Heather Chamberlin told Wolverhampton Crown Court that Khan had not touched his young victim.
She said he had asked her to 'flash' for him and it was accepted the incident had not been planned.
Mr Devon Small, defending, said Khan, a father of two, had worked as a taxi driver for nine years and that he was a man of impeccable character.
He said that Khan could not explain why he had committed the offence, having now had his licence to drive a taxi revoked by Walsall Council.
The judge further made Khan the subject of a sexual harm protection order and said he must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
It comes less than a fortnight after councillors discussed plans for taxi drivers in the town to become the 'eyes and ears' in helping to spot the signs of child sexual exploitation.
New and existing drivers, of hackney carriages and from private hire firms, are to receive training on becoming more alert to youngsters who could be at risk.
Two-hour training programmes have been put together.
It is expected that new drivers will have to pay a £10.50 fee for the exploitation training – while existing taxi drivers will not have to cough up any cash.
Part of the work is to prevent children being trafficked in taxis, although private hire associations have argued that drivers already know what to look for and where to report concerns if they have them.
A report of the meeting, which took place at the end of August stated: "Through CSE training of hackney carriage and private hire drivers, the trade would provide the eyes and ears for Walsall in fighting to protect children and vulnerable adults.
"Safeguarding children from harm is particularly important and everyone should be involved.
"Awareness training would be introduced for new and existing drivers and once trained they would be able to recognise the signs of exploitation or trafficking and report their concerns to the appropriate partner organisations."
The council was unable to comment on the case.
