A man who pretended to be a taxi driver has been found guilty after a court in Scotland determined that he intentionally deceived and detained a young woman during what was meant to be a simple trip home, later engaging in serious and disturbing misconduct inside his car.

The trial, held at Falkirk Sheriff Court, underscored the risks associated with unlicensed transport and the vulnerability of people traveling alone at night. The jury concluded that Mahmoud Kalawizada, 32, took advantage of the situation and the woman’s trust, placing the 22-year-old victim in a frightening and harmful ordeal after a late-night meeting in Stirling.