Fake taxi driver tricked lone women into his car, drove them to secluded spots and raped them

Nazim Asmal, 35, approached a 23-year-old woman in his Audi Coupe in the early hours of October 3, 2021.

The woman had lost her friends during a night out in Preston city centre and Asmal offered her a lift home.

Instead, he drove her to secluded area near Preston docks where he raped her twice.

He eventually dropped her off at her home where a concerned passerby came across her in a distressed state and helped her.

In the early hours of April 8, 2023, Asmal approached a 35-year-old woman, who had spent the evening out with family in Darwen, in a Toyota Yaris.

The woman, who believed he was a taxi driver, got into the car and asked to be taken home.

Driving her towards Bolton, in the opposite direction of her home, Asmal said: “You don’t want to pay for this taxi, do you?”

He then stopped in a secluded area, raped her and then dropped her off at her home address.

Asmal was later arrested and his phone was seized after officers identified the Yaris belonged to him.

On the phone they had seized, police were able to identify and approach a third woman who had been raped a few weeks before.

The 19-year-old woman told officers she had been approached by Asmal in the Yaris in the early hours of March 5, 2023 in Darwen.

She had been out on a night with friends and had got into the car thinking it was a taxi, but he parked up and raped her.

He also managed to get the victim’s phone number and called her three times the following day.

A few days later he also attended her place of work and asked for her.

The police linked the attacks together and the Crown Prosecution Service authorised for him to be charged with raping all three women.

He pleaded pleaded guilty to four counts of rape on November 17, 2023.

Asmal, now of no fixed address but formerly Balaclava Street, Blackburn, was sentenced to 17 years in custody, with an extended licence period of 5 years on Thursday.

He was also issued with an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Janet Potter, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, said: “Nazim Asmal is an extremely dangerous man who targeted lone women at night.

“He led them to believe he was a good citizen offering to help them get home safely, when he is in fact a predator who was intent on using serious sexual violence towards them.

“Asmal’s despicable actions have had a devastating effect on all the women, who have changed how they live their lives since he attacked them.

She added: “I would like to thank them for supporting the prosecution case which has enabled us to bring him to justice.

“I hope that following today’s sentence they can begin to move forward with their lives.

“Every woman has the right to feel and be safe on our streets no matter what time of day or night without fear of being sexually assaulted.

“The CPS is committed to bringing offenders who commit crimes against women to justice.”