Taxi Driver Online

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South Wales Evening Post

August 3, 2006 Thursday

HEADLINE: Rapist to be freed sooner

BYLINE: Ben Evans

A Rapist who preyed on women in Swansea has had his sentence cut.

Nigel Phillips (pictured), a cabbie, was jailed for 10 years at Swansea Crown Court last July after he brutally raped a 15-year-old in his taxi and indecently assaulted another woman.

The 38-year-old - nicknamed Psycho - had been handed a taxi licence by Swansea Council despite having a caution against his name. His application to appeal against the conviction has been thrown out by London's Criminal Appeal Court.

But Mr Justice Gray, sitting with Lord Justice Hughes and Mr Justice McCombe, cut his prison sentence to nine years.

Sex fiend Phillips's first victim was just 15 when he attacked her.

She had travelled in his cab before the attack in 2001 and was worried as he was always talking about parts of her body. The rape happened near Hendrefoilan Student Village as she was being driven back from a club.

After dropping off three of her friends, Phillips stopped the car, climbed into the back seat and violated her before driving her home. The incident, in Gower Road, went unreported until early last year when the girl told close friends and her mother.

Phillips, of Pencaerfenni, Crofty, was also found guilty of indecently assaulting a 21-year-old woman in 2003. She had been driven by Phillips in his cab before and asked his controllers to send another taxi driver.

She was dismayed when Phillips appeared, particularly when he asked her for a kiss and a cuddle after getting into the car. Later in the journey, he seized hold of her and touched her breasts.

Mr Justice Gray rejected arguments the trial judge should have ordered the two charges to be tried separately and Phillips's convictions were unsafe as a result.

But the judge went on to cut his jail sentence from 10 years to nine.

Phillips is also serving a two-year "extended" sentence, meaning he will be subject to prison recall if he re-offends during a two-year period after his release. This remains unchanged.
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