A Swansea man has been jailed for 18 years after a jury found him guilty of rape, having posed as an Uber driver to lure his victim into his car.
Abdul Shahid, 41, of Sketty, falsely presented himself to his victim as an Uber driver when he picked her up in Swansea city centre. Rather than taking her home, he drove her through dark roads before stopping at a car park, where he raped her.
Shahid pleaded not guilty to all charges and was found guilty by a jury of two counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration. He has been sentenced to an extended 18 years in prison.
Detective Constable Claire Davies, of South Wales Police, praised the victim for her courage throughout the investigation. “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,” she said.
“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.”
DC Davies added: “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.”
Anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence and is not yet ready to report to police can find information and support services at south-wales.police.uk. The Samaritans can be reached at any time on 116 123.
