by Julia Roberts and Lynn Cox

An unlicensed cab driver who raped a drunk woman after he offered her a lift home from a Gillingham nightclub on Christmas Eve last year has been jailed for eight years.

Nathan Gifford, 44, of Coleshall Close, Senacre in Maidstone, had denied the attack but was convicted by a jury at Maidstone Crown Court.

Passing sentence today, Judge Philip Statman said although he accepted Gifford had not lay in wait for his victim, he was “far from being a Good Samaritan”.

Gifford, who has six children by four women, will serve half his sentence less 221 days already spent on remand. He thanked the judge at the end of the hearing.

The victim was in court, supported by family and friends.

Judge Statman remarked that despite what he had read in her victim impact statement, she should not blame herself for her ordeal.

At Gifford’s trial, a jury of seven women and five men heard the woman staggered out of Bliss nightclub in Canterbury Street.

CCTV footage showed her slumped on the pavement and tests later revealed she would have been almost three times the drink-drive limit.

As she walked along the road, Gifford drove past, parked and crossed the road to talk to her as she sat on the ground.

He helped her to her feet and put his arm around her as they walked together.

When she slumped to the ground again, Gifford returned to his car, drove up to the woman and then, with the help of a passer-by, put her in his car before driving to a side road.

Judge Statman said Gifford then took advantage of the woman before “unceremoniously dumping” her in the street.

“She tried to fight off your advances unsuccessfully,” he remarked.

The judge added: “This was an opportunistic crime, not a case where you were looking for someone to rape late at night.

“However, that being said, in my judgment this was a case where there was a clear abuse of your position of trust.

“You presented yourself to this young woman by offering her the opportunity for a safe lift home...She was entitled to place her trust in you.

"he was just like a normal taxi driver…” – nathan gifford's victim

“Far from being the Good Samaritan, you ended up with her in the position that I have described.”

The court was told that Gifford has a previous conviction for sexual assault in 1995 but that it related to “unusual” circumstances and he was given a community order by magistrates.

Gifford was banned indefinitely under a sexual offences prevention order from driving any vehicle “for reward or hire”. He is also barred from working with children or vulnerable adults, and must sign on the sex offenders’ register for life.

During their deliberations, which lasted more than 15 hours, the jury had to be reminded by the judge to remain faithful to their oath after claims of “bullying” among themselves. The eventual verdict was unanimous.

Gifford's victim, who cannot be identified, told KentOnline: "I got into what I thought was a taxi and then he attacked me. He was just like a normal taxi driver.

"I try not to think about him. It just makes me feel sick that someone could do that to someone else."

The woman had to go through the gruelling process of giving evidence in court after Gifford denied the offence.

"It was a relief when he did get found guilty but it was horrible, really horrible, to have to go through," she said.

Now the victim wants to warn other women to be vigilant on nights out.

She said: "I would just say always use a reputable taxi company that you know of or have used before.

"He was an unlicensed taxi, so as long as you go with a company, the chances of it happening to you are a lot less."

Nathan Gifford was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court

DI Lee Whitehead, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: "Gifford gave the impression of being a professional taxi driver and then preyed on the victim whilst she was in a vulnerable state.

"The victim probably felt that she was safe when she stepped into the rogue taxi driver’s vehicle but he took full advantage of the situation.

"Gifford denied the offence throughout the trial, which resulted in the victim having to suffer the ordeal of being cross-examined in court. She was incredibly brave to come forward and support this prosecution. Her actions have prevented someone else having to go through what she has."