'Predator' rapist who attacked woman on bus jailed

A man has been jailed for raping a vulnerable woman on a bus.

Rahmat Qalander, from Nelson, targeted the woman on the X43 bus from Burnley to Manchester on 1 February, Lancashire Police said.

He sat next to his victim upstairs before forcing her to go to the back of the bus with him where he raped her, police said.

The 23-year-old was found guilty of five sexual assaults and rape following a trial at Preston Crown Court.

After he assaulted the woman he got off the bus in Manchester and the victim, who was in her 20s, reported what had happened to the driver and police were called.

Qalander was identified and arrested.

He was charged with rape, and a second sexual assault on a 16-year-old girl, which took place on a bus in Nelson on 6 February, police said.

Temporary Det Ch Insp Sarah Denson said: "Qalander is clearly a dangerous sexual predator who targeted lone and vulnerable young women to carry out his offending.

"I would like to commend the victims in this case for their bravery in disclosing what happened to them and for having the courage to go through the court process."

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