Taxi Driver Online

Romanian taxi driver, 45, raped mother-of-three in the back of his cab after she fell asleep following a night out, court told

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... -told.html



A Romanian taxi driver raped a female passenger in the back of his cab after she fell asleep following a night out, a court has heard.

Ioan-Cristian Manole allegedly took advantage of his 'very tired' lone female customer after she dozed off in the early hours of the morning.

Prosecutors claim Manole, 45, parked his cab in a secluded area on a road before removing the sleeping woman's leggings and underwear.

The mother-of-three, in her 40s, woke up and found Manole raping her, leaving her in 'hysterics', it was heard.

The alleged attack happened in the Fareham area of Hampshire, after the woman - who can't be named for legal reasons - booked a taxi home from a friend's house.

After she fled the taxi, the woman 'sought refuge' with a neighbour and was said to arrive at his in 'hysterics'.

Prosecutor Simon Foster Foster told the court: 'She was sobbing, she was distressed and of course he asked her 'what's happened?'. She said that she had nowhere else to go.

'He wanted to know whether she was hurt and she said no she hadn't been hurt, but 'I have been raped'.

'She was asked 'who?' and gave the answer 'it was the taxi driver'.'

Opening the trial at Winchester Crown Court, prosecutor Mr Foster said: 'She did not consent, she said she woke up in the taxi with this defendant already sexually penetrating her.

'We're not talking in this case about two parties who met in a bar, or something like that, we're talking about a taxi driver and his charge.

'Obviously a taxi driver is not a police officer or someone charged with the protection of the public.

'But, a taxi driver who is asked to take a lone female passenger home has a duty to see her home safely and properly.'

Mr Foster told the court that evening the woman had been out with friends for drinks.

Mr Foster said around 3am the woman left her friend's home in the Aqua Cars taxi and she had conversation with Manole.

Manole said he was divorced, lived in Southampton, Hants, and had a teenage daughter who was studying in Romania.

Mr Foster said: 'The journey home was uneventful. There was some conversation between them until the taxi driver pulled up near where to where it was that she lives.

'She recalled taking her seatbelt off and paying and she was still chatting to the taxi driver who at one point was on the telephone in Romanian - she didn't, of course, understand.

'She described that she was sitting in the back behind the driver of the taxi and fell asleep.'

The mother did not know how long she was asleep for and came round to find Manole raping her in the back seat of the taxi.

Mr Foster added: 'When she came to, she realised of course what was happening and it stopped.

'That taxi driver had taken advantage of a very tired female. She could feel his body against hers. She reacted by sitting up immediately.'

Manole is said to have dropped the passenger home and she 'grabbed her' leggings and underwear and left the vehicle.

Mr Foster said: 'She described feeling shocked and numb.'

In a police interview played to the court, the woman said 'everything has completely changed' after the rape.

She said she woke up in the taxi to a 'sudden pain' which 'jolted me back to what was happening'.

She said: 'When I realised what that pain was, that's when I realised what he was doing.'

The mother described attending her neighbour's house and said: 'I was hysterical and collapsed on the floor. He asked me what happened and I said I had been raped by a taxi diver.'

Manole alleges the sex was consensual and that he asked her if 'he could have sex with her and she said yes'.

He denies rape and sex assault by penetration.

The five day trial continues.

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IDFIMH

Funny how a word or two different can completely change perceptions of stuff. Have a read this from last year. This is probably why this incident wasn't on here at that time - it says he's a trucker, and zero mention of being a taxi driver. And the incident simply took place 'in a vehicle'.

And now there's zero mention of him being a trucker. But presumably he's both, and he was moonlighting as a taxi driver (or PHD, more accurately).


Man, 44, appears in court over rape of woman in car in Portchester at weekend

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/crime ... rt-4142808

A 44-year-old man charged with raping a woman in a car in Portchester at the weekend has appeared at court over the matter.

Ioan-Cristian Manole, 44 appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court this morning charged with rape and assault by penetration following an incident around 3am on Saturday April 15. It is alleged the woman in her 40s was raped in a vehicle around the Castle Grove area – south of Portchester Precinct.

Romanian national Manole, of Alder Road in Southampton, entered not guilty pleas to both charges during the brief hearing. The lorry driver had his conditional bail extended with his electronic curfew terms varied for him to remain indoors between 8pm - 6am. The court heard this was to allow him to work as a lorry driver during the day and ‘provide financially for his family’.

A police spokesman previously said: ‘Police were called to reports a woman in her 40s had been raped in a vehicle.’

And look at this report on the trial from the Daily Echo, and compare it to the Daily Mail's version above. The Echo's version sounds plausible, and a not unusual scenario for this kind of thing.

But the Daily Mail's version adds a bit more detail, and changes my perception of the scenario entirely. I mean, she took her seatbelt off and paid the driver, then fell asleep? Not entirely implausible, but just looks very odd.

Anyway, hate it when these trials are initially reported all over the place, but then disappear from the radar, presumably until there's a verdict. Either because there are no reporters in court every day of the trial, or maybe the trial has been held up for some reason. But no doubt we'll know the verdict in time

Don't think there's anything new here apart from what's in the headline and the parts I've highlighted below - he's been cleared by the jury of all charges, basically

And this is on the Daily Mail's website - can't see anything on the local press websites.

Of course, the stuff reported will only cover a very small part of the evidence in a seven-day trial.

But the bit about falling asleep after taking her seatbelt off and after paying the driver looked very odd indeed. And all the while while still chatting to the driver, or that's how it reads


Romanian taxi driver, 45, accused of raping female passenger in the back of his cab after she fell asleep is cleared of attack after telling a court they had consensual sex

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... eared.html

Ioan-Cristian Manole was cleared following a seven-day trial in Winchester

A Romanian taxi driver has been cleared of raping a female passenger in the back of his cab after telling a court they had consensual sex.

Ioan-Cristian Manole was accused of taking advantage of a lone female passenger after she dozed off in the early hours of the morning.

Prosecutors claimed that the woman had been left in 'hysterics' after allegedly waking up to find the driver raping her.

But the 45 year old denied the offence and said he asked the mother if he could have sex with her 'and she said yes'.

Following a seven day trial at Winchester Crown Court jurors delivered not guilty verdicts to rape and sex assault.

Manole appeared at court after the mother-of-three claimed she woke up in the back of his taxi to him raping her after a night out.

The alleged attack happened in the Fareham area, Hampshire, after the woman - who can't be named for legal reasons - booked a taxi home from a friend's house.

Opening the trial prosecutor Simon Foster had said: 'She did not consent, she said she woke up in the taxi with this defendant already sexually penetrating her.

'We're not talking in this case about two parties who met in a bar, or something like that, we're talking about a taxi driver and his charge.

'Obviously a taxi driver is not a police officer or someone charged with the protection of the public.

'But, a taxi driver who is asked to take a lone female passenger home has a duty to see her home safely and properly.'

Mr Foster previously told the court that evening the woman had been out with friends for drinks.

Mr Foster said around 3am the woman left her friend's home in the Aqua Cars taxi and she had conversation with Manole.

Manole said he was divorced, lived in Southampton, and had a teenage daughter who was studying in Romania.

Mr Foster said: 'The journey home was uneventful. There was some conversation between them until the taxi driver pulled up near where to where it was that she lives.

'She recalled taking her seatbelt off and paying and she was still chatting to the taxi driver who at one point was on the telephone in Romanian - she didn't, of course, understand.

'She described that she was sitting in the back behind the driver of the taxi and fell asleep.'

The mother did not know how long she was asleep for and came round to find Manole raping her in the back seat of the taxi.

Mr Foster added: 'When she came to, she realised of course what was happening and it stopped.

'That taxi driver had taken advantage of a very tired female. She could feel his body against hers. She reacted by sitting up immediately.'

Manole was alleged to have dropped the passenger home and she 'grabbed her' leggings and underwear and left the vehicle.

Mr Foster said: 'She described feeling shocked and numb.'

Manole denied rape and sex assault by penetration and said he asked the mother if 'he could have sex with her and she said yes'.

During the opening, Mr Foster told the trial: 'The taxi driver is saying in essence that she was consenting.

'[He suggests] he did have sex with [her] - his client - after the acquaintance of around half an hour but it was all with her consent.'

The defendant was cleared by the jury of all charges.

his word against hers

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Taxis Are Public Transport too

Join the campaign to get April fools jokes banned for 364 days a year !

The jury heard all the evidence so the fella is 100% not guilty of the offence he was charged with.

However the the comment above is evidence that this fella is 100% not a fit and proper person to drive a taxi/PH and the trade is best rid of him.

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IDFIMH

Which is quite a common occurrence.

However, juries, judges, and JPs can decide on the credibility of witnesses and their responses to cross-examination.

My point is that his words against hers, or vice versa, aren't always an issue.

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IDFIMH