Taxi Driver Online

Sex attack on 'minicab' passenger near Hillend




The woman was picked up near the Greyfriar's Bobby statue in Edinburgh

A 31-year-old woman has been sexually assaulted after getting into a car she believed was a private hire vehicle.

The woman was picked up from Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh, near the Greyfriars Bobby's statue, at 03:30am.

She was taken to a layby just past the Hillend Ski Slope, near the Boghall Farm in Midlothian where she was subjected to a serious sexual assault..

She was then left near the Sheriffhall roundabout on the city bypass.

Police Scotland are appealing for any witnesses who may have seen the victim or the car.

The suspect was described as being of South Asian appearance, aged 35-40, about 5ft 5in - 5ft 6in, of slim build.

He had dark, cropped hair and was clean-shaven. He was wearing dark clothing and spoke with an Edinburgh accent.

The car was described as being a five-door saloon, which was possibly a navy colour.

Det Sgt Keith Mackay said: "This was a frightening experience for the woman, who is now in the care of her family.

"We are eager to trace this man and are appealing for witnesses. Anyone who recognises the man's description, or the description of the car, is urged to come forward."

source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-e ... e-32277997

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

At that time of morning it could have been a Two headed alien in a UFO that stopped and any number of half soused punters would still not be able to tell the difference between a Flying Saucer from Zorg and a Taxi.

Sex attack: Fears rogue driver targeting women


It is feared that a fake private hire driver could be operating.



FEARS of a “rogue” driver targeting revellers in the city centre have been raised as the hunt continues for a bogus cabbie who sexually assaulted a woman.

The Evening News has learned that a woman waiting outside a nightclub for a Capital Cars private hire cab late last Friday was approached by a man in a vehicle who told her he was her driver.

But she refused to get in after becoming aware that the car’s appearance and number plate did not match identification details sent to her by text after she made her booking.

It is understood the approach took place the night before a 31-year-old woman was assaulted after being picked up in Candlemaker Row, next to the Greyfriars Bobby statue.

Police inquiries into the attack – which occurred in a lay-by just past Hillend Ski Slope and close to Boghall Farm in the early hours of Sunday morning – are still ongoing.

Bosses at Capital Cars, one of Edinburgh’s biggest private hire firms, confirmed they had sent out a broadcast, asking staff to be alert to anything suspicious.

And they have stressed using private hire is safe as long as members of the public pre-book and make sure they check information supplied by the firm before entering a vehicle.

Stephen Hill, general manager at Capital, said: “It looks like there was a rogue – a non-registered person pretending to be a private hire driver.

“We’ve put a broadcast out telling drivers to keep a look-out for anything that looks dodgy – drivers could be outside clubs and see things they just do not think are right.”

Mr Hill stressed every driver and vehicle registered with his firm was subject to strict checks and examinations before being allowed out on the road.

He said: “Every single driver must be pre-booked. We can always tell where all the cars are at a certain time. We are very rigorous. Absolutely everything is traceable, from the [driver’s] maximum speed to the road.

“Any car needs to have a compliance certificate before it can be registered, which is even more rigorous than an MOT.

“If [members of the public] stick to the pre-booking system, either through our app or by phoning, they will get a legitimate driver, who will have had Disclosure Scotland checks done on them.”

He added: “People using that system will have the registration of the vehicle sent to their phone. All these things add up to a safe journey.”

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Inquiries into the incident are ongoing.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101.

source: http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/n ... -1-3743954

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

Bogus taxi driver ‘sexually assaulted passenger’, court hears



The woman told the court she was making her way home through the Grassmarket.

A BOGUS taxi driver allegedly sexually assaulted a passenger while he was on the phone to his girlfriend, a court has heard.

Shabir Shaikh is said to have picked up the drunk woman in Edinburgh city centre before driving her to a secluded layby on the outskirts of the city where he attempted to grope her.

Shaikh, from Edinburgh, denies the alleged sex attack near to the Hillend ski centre in April last year.

The woman told a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court that Shaikh suddenly stopped his attack on her to answer a phone call from his girlfriend.

The 32-year-old bank worker told the court that she feared she would be “raped and murdered” after realising the car she had got into was not a taxi.

The alleged victim told the court she had been out in Edinburgh city centre with two friends celebrating a birthday.

The group had been at the capital’s Cavendish nightspot before heading to the George Street bar Why Not?

At the end of the night, the woman decided to head home through the Grassmarket area where she said she encountered 32-year-old Shaikh sitting in his car.

She said: “I had decided not to stay with my friend [who lives in Edinburgh] as I just wanted to get home.

“I was slowly staggering a bit and smoking and someone asked out of a car window if they could have a cigarette.

“I said ‘no problem’ and handed it over. He asked where I was going and I said ‘I’m heading home’ and he then said ‘I’ll take you home’. I stupidly accepted and assumed he was a taxi.

“I told him the town I live in but not sure if I told him my full address.”

The woman said she got into the front passenger seat and the pair headed to the south of the city, but alarm bells began to ring when the driver failed to take any of the exits.

She said: “When he didn’t take the junction to get on the bypass I realised something wasn’t right. He carried on towards the ski slope and I asked him a number of times to turn round.

“I remember passing the Flottertsone Inn before he pulled into a layby – it was really dark and there was no lighting.

“Before the layby I was worried about what he was going to do with me. Then when we pulled over I thought it was very possible I could be raped and murdered.”

Police officers were said to have later picked the woman up as she stood waiting in the dark on the A702 city bypass at around 4.30am.

The trial continues this week.

Shaikh denies abducting the woman while posing as a taxi driver, detaining her and assaulting her near Hillend, Edinburgh, on April 12 last year.


Read more: http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/n ... z44sRD3Wzw

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