A private hire driver who subjected a woman passenger to a terrifying ordeal has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

A jury at Bradford Crown Court found 37-year-old Gurdip Singh guilty of kidnapping and indecent assault on majority verdicts.

As the verdicts were read out, there were cries of "yes" from the public gallery.

Sentencing him, Judge Alistair McCallum said Singh had kidnapped the woman to "satisfy'' his desires on a woman who was a trusting passenger in his car.

He said: "You indeed have done a huge disservice for cab drivers who are entrusted to take people at night, especially a woman who had a little too much alcohol.''

He added: "They put themselves in your hands. It's difficult enough without having this sort of shadow hanging over them.

"This was a terrifying journey you took her upon.

"Fortunately for her and for you, you did not attack her viciously or use a weapon on her.

"It must have been the longest hour that she has ever been through."

Singh, of St James Drive, Horsforth, was ordered to sign on as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

During the trial, the court heard how the 28-year-old woman was picked up along with some friends from a wedding reception.

After they were dropped off, she was taken to her Bradford home and handed Singh some money for the fare but he told her it was not enough.

He then drove her away in his minibus and said he was going to have sex with her.

After indecently assaulting her, he drove her back to his minicab office in Cottingley, where she was comforted by the manager who eventually took her home.

When Singh gave evidence he denied that anything sexual took place and hoped God would forgive the woman for telling lies.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.