Middlesboro

A TAXI driver accused of having sex with a 14-year-old schoolgirl in a lay-by is facing jail after being convicted of a string of charges.

Shakil Munir, 32, was found guilty late yesterday afternoon of four counts of sexual activity with a child and one of child abduction.

Munir, of Tollesby Road, Tollesby, Middlesbrough, had denied all of the charges, and faced a trial at Teesside Crown Court with others.

The jury panel was sent home last night and will continue considering verdicts three charges against a 17-year-old boy this morning.

The Teesside teenager, who cannot be named, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of arranging or facilitating a child sex offence.

Earlier yesterday, two other defendants in the trial - over alleged grooming and exploitation - were cleared of all the charges they faced.

Ibrar Mahmood, 18, of Breckon Hill Road, Middlesbrough, was found not guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child, and three of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Junaid Butt, also 18, of Kensington Road, Middlesbrough, was cleared of one charge of sexual activity with a child, and one of arranging or facilitating a child sex offence.
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Belfast

A taxi driver, who drove a car into a crowd of people standing outside an east Belfast pub, has been found guilty of two counts of attempted murder.

Michael Porter, 34, was found guilty of attempting to murder Paul Thompson and Daniel Martin in the early hours of 19 December, 2011.

Originally from north Belfast, Porter, whose address was given as Glen Court in Newtownards, was found not guilty of attempting to murder a third man, Christopher McKay, but guilty of causing him grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving.

During a week-long trial at Belfast Crown Court, the jury was told Porter, his brother and his friend Paul Thompson - one of the men who was seriously injured in the incident - had been drinking in a city centre bar before Porter drove them to the Great Eastern Bar in east Belfast in his ex-partner's Passat.

Porter parked the car on Hornby Street, which was right beside the bar.

During their time in the pub, the trio felt they were being stared at and after words were exchanged with local revellers, they left.

Mr Thompson was assaulted and knocked unconscious in the street and moments later the Passat, which was driven to the area by Porter, was seen to exit Hornby Street and drive right into a crowd standing outside the pub.

One eyewitness told the court the car "knocked people over like skittles."

The car did a u-turn and drove at speed down the road, hitting the unconscious Mr Thompson as he lay on the road, and the prone body of Mr Martin who lay injured after being struck by the Passat as it exited Hornby Street.

Both men sustained serious injuries in the incident, including multiple fractures.

Mr McKay also sustained injuries when the car drove into the crowd.

Porter denied that he was the driver, saying that when he saw his friend being attacked outside the pub, he fled the scene and stayed at a friend's house.

His version of events was rejected by the jury, who found him guilty of attempting to murder two men and grievously injuring a third.


Defence barrister Mark Farrell asked that Porter be released on bail, but Judge Corinne Philpott QC rejected the request and remanded him in custody.