Teenager raped by bogus taxi driver

A teenager was raped by a man posing as a taxi driver in Dukinfield. The incident happened sometime between 12.15am and 1am on Saturday 22 November 2008 on Kendal Terrace, Dukinfield.The victim had been out drinking in Ashton-under-Lyne and got into a car believing it to be a taxi.After about 10 minutes driving around, the man pulled into an alleyway next to Kendal Terrace and asked for an £8 fare. When the girl realised the car had no taxi meter, the man got into the back and raped her.She managed to struggle free and ran off before raising the alarm.The man is described as Asian, about 40 or 50 years old, medium build with a round belly. He had frizzy grey hair with flecks of black and white and a bushy beard that came down to his chest and was the same colour as his hair. He had chubby cheeks, a big nose and dark blotches on his skin. He was wearing white or cream trousers and a long shirt. The car is described as being possibly a Vauxhall Astra with black leather seats with a Christmas tree air freshener.Detective Constable Barbara Offord, based at Ashton CID, said: "The victim was subjected to a terrifying ordeal by a man who took complete advantage of the fact she had been drinking and was not aware of her surroundings. "I do not want to cause any alarm in the community but this incident will clearly worry people. We do not want this man to strike again so I would urge people, especially young women, to be careful at this time. If possible, do not get into a taxi on your own and if you do get into a car that matches the description by the victim, get out as soon as possible."If anyone does have any information, please come forward so we can catch this man."Anyone with information about the incident should call Tameside CID on 0161 856 9256 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Greater Manchester Police has a dedicated sexual crime unit and Operation Talon that work alongside partner agencies, such as St Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre and the Children's Centre, to ensure that all reports of rape are treated seriously and are subject to a thorough investigation. Not only does Greater Manchester lead the way nationally in terms of the support that is provided to victims of rape and sexual assaults, but the force is continually trying to educate members of the public to help raise awareness and reduce their risk of falling victim to this type of crime.

Due to their ultra-PC credentials, GMP find themselves in a predicament when issuing warning on how to avoid becoming a victim of these roaming sexual predators. Try typing “bogus taxi” into a search engine and read the horrifying number of rapes committed by these beasts throughout the country. Most of these animals have one thing in common - see can you work it out. Tameside Citizen