Taxi Driver Online

Suspect this headline below could be in contempt of court, strictly speaking. He's been charged, so maybe should say it's an 'alleged' rape. The headline effectively states there was a rape.

And not sure if it's relevant, but the obvious assumption is that it's a driver, but the piece just says the alleged rape just took place 'inside' the taxi.

And 8.45pm on Tuesday not the typical time for the kind of attacks we normally read about, so I'm guessing it's not the typical kind of thing we read about on here on a regular basis


Blackpool man charged after woman raped inside taxi

https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire- ... n-23074804

The 35-year-old is due to go before court tomorrow

A Blackpool man has been charged with rape after a woman reported being sexually assaulted inside a taxi.

The woman, in her 20s, was reportedly raped inside a taxi in Blackpool on Tuesday night.

Police were contacted by a member of the public at around 8.45pm and last night arrested a man on suspicion of rape. A spokesperson today confirmed that he has been charged and is remanded into custody.

The spokesperson said: “Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Liam Woodward, 35, of Langdon Way, Blackpool, has this evening been charged with rape and sexual assault.

“He has been remanded into custody to appear before magistrates tomorrow.

“Anyone with information which could assist our investigation should call police on 101, quoting log 1384 of February 8, 2022.”

I didn't think they usually published names and addresses of people charged pre trial

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Dunno offhand, but the press report is just a rehash of the Lancs Police press release, and it includes the address, and you'd assume Lancs Police know the contempt of court rules.

At least the Lancs Police notice avoids directly saying that a rape took place - it just says that it was 'reported' that a woman was raped


Detectives investigating reports woman was raped inside taxi in Blackpool charge man

https://www.lancashire.police.uk/news/2 ... harge-man/

Friday, February 11, 2022

Detectives investigating reports that a woman was raped in Blackpool have charged a man.

We were contacted at 8.44pm on Tuesday [February 8] by a member of the public reporting that a woman in her 20s had been subjected to a serious sexual assault while inside a taxi in the resort.

As a result of our enquiries, a 35-year-old man from Blackpool was arrested last night (February 10) on suspicion of rape.

Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Liam Woodward, 35, of Langdon Way, Blackpool, has this evening been charged with rape and sexual assault.

He has been remanded into custody to appear before magistrates tomorrow.

Anyone with information which could assist our investigation should call police on 101, quoting log 1384 of February 8, 2022.

Looks like there was a PH licence issued on the 17/01/22 by Blackpool for somebody with that name.

On the public register the issued and commences date are both the same. So I assume this was a new driver, assuming it is the accused. Most others have the issued date prior to the commences date, which makes sense as you renew your badge weeks/months prior to the current one expiring.

so a new driver can't keep his hands off the customers

I hope for the councils sake that there is no prior history of sexual offending emerges at the trial

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

If I was to guess I'm assuming the driver of the vehicle is the one who has been charged.

Many things happen in the back of a taxi/PH, but I think even the most meekest of drivers wouldn't put up with a fella raping a lady in his car.

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IDFIMH

Yes, it's looking more like the conventional scenario.

The slightly odd wording of the police notice and the untypical time of the incident made me think it might be a slightly different scenario from the norm. For example, someone stole a cab and used it to pick the woman up. But probably not that different to the normal chain of events.

Remanded. Still nothing specific to say he was the driver, but maybe that's a legal thing


Blackpool man charged with raping a woman inside a taxi appears in court

https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news ... rt-3567384

A man from Blackpool appeared in court over the weekend where he was accused of raping a woman inside a taxi.

[...]He was taken into custody and appeared before Lancashire Magistrates on Saturday (February 12), but did not enter a plea.

A date was set for a preliminary hearing at Preston Crown Court on Wednesday, March 16.

He has been remanded into custody.[...]

I think the inference is that it was the driver but perhaps the owners of the business have asked the police not to mention them as that might be deemed libellous

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector