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Man admits female taxi driver attack

The court heard the victim had been traumatised by the attack
A man has admitted robbing a female taxi driver in Aberdeenshire and dumping her - bound and gagged - on a country road.

Lithuanian Artur Rodzevic, 21, attacked Nicola Donald after she picked him up in Peterhead last September.

Rodzevic admitted assault and robbery at the High Court in Glasgow.

The court heard that the attack had a "considerable psychological effect" on the victim. Sentence was deferred for reports.

Ms Donald, 33, had only been working as a taxi driver for a matter of days when Rodzevic struck.

Remote location

He had asked her to take him to nearby supermarket, but on the way he said he wanted to go to a farm five miles away.

She agreed, believing that Rodzevic was going there to look for work.

He spoke to an employee there before returning to the car, then asked to be taken to another farm.

Ashley Edwards, prosecuting, said Ms Donald agreed to do so - but was concerned about the remoteness of the location.

Rodzevic then brandished a knife, and told her to get out of her Peugeot people carrier.

'Highly-distressed'

He then forced her into the rear of the vehicle, covered her whole head with brown tape, and also bound her arms and legs together.

Rodzevic then dumped her on a grass bank before returning to the car and driving off.

Ms Donald managed to rip some of the tape away, and stumbled to a nearby house for help.

The court heard she was in "a highly-distressed state".

Rodzevic was later arrested after being found hiding in a field.

Judge Lord Brailsford remanded Rodzevic in custody and deferred sentencing to the High Court in Livingston on 11 March.

Thug left taxi driver gagged and bound by road
Lithuanian Artur Rodzevic attacked Nicola Donald before stealing her car leaving her abandoned on a rural road.
10 February 2010 13:34 PM
Comment 156662
Taxi Driver: Lithuanian man robbed driver on rural road. Pic: © STV

A Lithuanian thug robbed a female taxi driver and then dumped her bound and gagged on a quiet country road.

Artur Rodzevic attacked terrified Nicola Donald, who had only been working as a cabbie for a matter of days, and made off with her car.

On Wednesday Rodzevic admitted to the assault and robbery when he appeared at the High Court in Glasgow.

The 21 year-old now faces a lengthy jail term when he returns to the dock next month.

The court heard how Miss Donald picked up Rodzevic in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, around mid-day last September 28.

He asked her to take him to nearby supermarket, but, on the way, said he wanted to go to a farm five miles away. Miss Donald, 33, agreed believing that Rodzevic was going there to look for work.

When they got there Rodzevic spoke to an employee before returning to the car and requesting they return to Peterhead.

However, he again changed his mind and asked to be taken to nearby West Thunderton Farm.

Ashley Edwards, prosecuting, said this "un-nerved" Miss Donald, but she agreed to do so. Miss Edwards added: "She was still concerned about the remoteness of the location."

It was there that Rodzevic brandished a knife and told the cabbie to get out of her Peugeot people carrier.

He then forced her into the rear of the vehicle and covered her whole head with brown tape. He also bound her arms and legs together.

Rodzevic then dumped his victim on a grass bank before returning to the car and driving off.

Miss Donald managed to rip some of the tape away and stumbled to a nearby house for help. Miss Edwards told the court that she was in "a highly distressed state".

Her car was later discovered abandoned in a ditch. Rodzevic later tried unsuccessfully to get a passing motorist to take him back to Peterhead.

Rodzevic was arrested that day after being found hiding in a field. He had Miss Donald's bank cards on him along with a 23cm knife.

The court heard that the robbery has had a "considerable psychological effect" on her.

Miss Edwards added: "She had been confident, out going and loved to drive. She is now frightened, anxious and suffers from severe depression and insomnia."

Judge Lord Brailsford remanded Rodzevic in custody and deferred sentencing to the High Court in Livingston on March 11.



Last updated: 10 February 2010, 15:40

Mum tells of attack by ‘evil’ knifeman
Peterhead taxi driver bound and gagged
By Kevin Duguid

Published: 11/02/2010


HORROR: Nikki Donald was bound and gagged during the attack near West Thunderton Farm, Peterhead.
More Pictures

A PETERHEAD mum today told how she thought she was going to be killed when she was abducted by a knife-wielding robber.

Nikki Donald pleaded to be freed for the sake of her young daughter when Artur Rodzevic, 21, held a knife to her throat

The terrified 33-year-old was then bound and gagged before being dumped in a quiet country lane by the man she had picked up in her taxi in Peterhead.

Rodzevic admitted an assault and robbery charge when he appeared at the High Court in Glasgow.

And today Nikki said: “He grabbed my hair and held a knife to my throat.

“I remember being pushed into the back of the taxi. He taped my eyes first, then my mouth, my nose and then the rest of my body.

“I thought I was going to get killed. I have a six-year-old daughter Hayley. All I could think about was her. I shouted to him ‘I’ve got a daughter’ a few times.”

Nikki told how she was dumped in a ditch and was initially relieved when Rodzevic walked back to her taxi.

But she feared he was about to kill her when she heard him walking in her direction.

She added: “I thought that was it. Then he kept shouting for my bank card number.”

After she “rattled out” some numbers Rodzevic drove off in her taxi and Nikki managed to stumble to a house for help.

She added: “I think he’s an animal. I think what he has done is evil and he is evil.”

Rodzevic will be sentenced on March 11.

kduguid@ajl



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Assault in taxi ‘worst case of staff abuse’
Scottish Federation boss appalled by attack on north-east woman
By Stephen Christie

Published: 12/02/2010

The boss of a national taxi body last night described the assault and robbery of a woman driver in Aberdeenshire as the worst case of abuse against staff he had heard about.

Speaking out after Lithuanian Artur Rodzevic admitted he bound and gagged Nicola Donald and left her in a country road near Peterhead, Bob McIntosh, general secretary of the Scottish Taxi Federation, said the case highlighted the need for CCTV and panic buttons in taxis.

The mother-of-one had been working as a taxi driver for just four days when she became the victim of 21-year-old Rodzevic.

Last night, Mr McIntosh said: “This must have been truly frightening for this woman.

“This is a shocking incident and it would seem abuse against taxi drivers has taken a new twist – this is the worst I’ve ever heard about.”

He added: “We’ve long argued that taxis should be equipped with CCTV cameras or a panic button the drivers can press in an emergency and this case in particular highlights the need for that.”

Miss Donald, 33, of Greenbrae Place, Peterhead, said she thought she was going to be killed in the attack.

“He grabbed my hair from where he was sitting in the passenger side and held a knife to my throat,” she said. “He leaned over to open my door. But I pushed his hand away. He then assaulted me.

“I remember being pushed into the back of the taxi. He taped my eyes first, then my mouth, my nose and then the rest of my body – I thought I was going to get killed.

“I have a six-year-old daughter, Hayley. All I could think about was her. I shouted to him ‘I’ve got a daughter’ a few times.”

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Miss Donald picked up Rodzevic at Peterhead at about noon on September 28 last year.

After a number of detours the pair eventually ended up at the nearby West Thunderton Farm.

It was there that Rodzevic brandished a 9in knife and told Miss Donald to get out of her Peugeot people carrier before the assault happened.

Rodzevic was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at the High Court in Livingston on March 11.



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Terrible experience for any driver....let alone a new driver to go through.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

lets hope they give him a deterrent sentance but i suspect he will just do a short stretch and then be deported

police hoping that he gets betwen 5-8 years then deported but we will see! i was new to taxi driving but drove buses limow hummer and lorrys before this.as driving is my life . but i was lucky as it could of been alot worse least im still here to tell the story.

WELL HE GOT 6 YR...............ALL I WANTED WAS HIM TO BE DEPORTED AND HE WILL BE AFTER HIS 6 YRS.JUST A PITY WE HAVE TO PAY 4 HIS UP KEEP.YES IT WAS SCARRY BUT LEAST IM STILL HERE TO TELL THE TAIL.IT COULD OF BIN A LOT WORSE ......XX[/b]

And that's a good place to be.

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IDFIMH

I don't suppose that you were driving a Hummer for John Cook were you?

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Grandad,