The press version here, which certainly isn't just a rehash of the official police news release above.
Usual scenario, though. And, as per usual not a huge amount of detail regarding why the victim was led to believe he was a legitimate driver. And a legitimate Uber driver in particular.
But which maybe suggests that she hadn't actually pre-booked a car, although that's not at all clear from the detail.
Fake Swansea Uber driver raped vulnerable young woman twice in carhttps://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wale ... d-33845713The dad-of-one cruised city streets looking for potential victims before driving a woman to a dark, isolated street and launching his attackA sexual predator pretended to be a taxi driver in order to entice a vulnerable young woman into his car before driving her to a secluded street and raping her, a court has heard.
Abdul Shahid was cruising the streets in the dead of night looking for a victim after finishing his shift at the family restaurant where he worked. A judge at Swansea Crown Court said the defendant had carried out a "premeditated, planned act of stranger rape" and that he was an arrogant and dangerous offender who poses a risk to females.
Mark Wythe KC, for the prosecution, told the court that on the night of Saturday, January 13, 2024, the victim in the case had visited Swansea for a night out with her boyfriend.
During the course of the evening the pair had an argument and became separated, and in the early hours of the following morning the female - who was heavily intoxicated - made her way to Swansea's High Street station.
The prosecutor said that, also in the area around the station at that time was Shahid in his black-coloured Vauxhall car who was "kerb crawling" and "masquerading as a taxi driver".
He said the defendant followed the woman along the road before stopping and attracting her attention, and said after a discussion between them the woman got into the car.
The prosecutor said Shahid first drove the woman to the Hafod area "in order to disorientate her" before going to Wheatfield Terrace in the Waun Wen area of the city, a dark and isolated street which he said was a "known haunt of sex workers". In the cab Shahid sexually assaulted his victim and raped her twice before driving her back to the city centre.
The barrister said it was the prosecution case that the defendant deliberately chose the location of Wheatfield Terrace "as cover for a premeditated and planned rape".
He said it was also the prosecution case that Shahid had been driving around the station area on a Saturday night after the last trains had departed as that was when any potential victim would be at their most vulnerable.
The court heard the woman was found in a distressed state near the railway station by a man she had met earlier in the evening and who had gone looking for her.
The court heard the Good Samaritan initially called 999 - only to be told that as he wasn't the complainant the call handler could not deal with him - but he then flagged down a passing police car and raised the alarm.
Shahid's car was traced and the married dad-of-one was arrested.
On arrest he said he "could not believe" what was happening, adding: "It's a mad world". The defendant denied the allegation of rape maintaining the sexual activity between himself and complainant was consensual - a stance he maintained to trial.
Abdul Shahid, aged 41, of Dunraven Road, Sketty, Swansea, had previously been convicted at trial of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.
He has no previous convictions, however, the court heard there were two incidents in 2020 when police in Swansea "intercepted or deflected him while kerb crawling" which both involved young females.
Stephen Thomas, for Shahid, said that, given the verdicts of the jury and the contents of the pre-sentence report - in which the defendant continued to deny his guilt - there was little by way of mitigation he could put forward.
He said some nine character references had been submitted to the court, and he noted the defendant had abided by his bail conditions without any issue.
Recorder Mark Powell KC said Shahid's version of events - that the victim had started kissing him in the car and had then engaged in consensual sex saying he was better than her boyfriend - was a "fabrication" and was an example of his "arrogance".
The said that having presided over the trial there had been times when the defendant had "smiled inappropriately" and he noted Shahid had claimed in evidence that he had not been attracted to the woman but that she had obviously been attracted to him, a claim which he told the man in the dock "was an indication of how you regard women".
He said Shahid had carried out a "premeditated, planned act of stranger rape", and said that, having heard all the evidence in the case and having read the contents of pre-sentence report, he was satisfied the defendant was a dangerous offender who posed a high risk to young females and that an extended sentence was necessary.
Shahid was given an extended 18-year sentence comprising 14 years in prison followed by a four-year licence period.
He must serve two-thirds of the sentence in custody before he can apply to be released but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to return to the community. The defendant will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.
Recorder Powell said he would use his powers under the Criminal Law Act of 1826 to direct that the crown court make £500 available to the High Sheriff of West Glamorgan to award to the man who had found and obtained help for the victim.
Speaking after the sentencing, South Wales Police detective constable Claire Davies said: "I would like to thank the victim in this case for coming forward and for being courageous throughout the process of this investigation.
"Because of her, we have been able to convict a man who is clearly a threat to women. I can only hope that this helps her to move on from this in a more positive way and gain some form of closure.
"During the trial, Abdul Shahid did not show any remorse for his actions and even tried to blame the victim for what he did. The victim was simply trying to get home and put her trust in what she thought was an Uber driver.
"If you are the victim of a sexual offence, we urge you to report it to the police as soon as possible. You will be supported, and officers will treat all reports with sensitivity and professionalism."
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