Man jailed for 18 years after posing as Uber driver to rape woman

A man has been jailed for 18 years after posing as a taxi driver before raping a woman he picked up in a city centre.

Abdul Shahid, 41, from Sketty in Swansea, was found guilty of two counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration following a trial.

The court heard Shahid falsely gave his victim the impression he was an Uber driver when he collected her as she attempted to get home. Instead, he drove her along dark roads before stopping at a car park, where he carried out the attack.

Shahid had denied the charges but was convicted by a jury. He has now been handed an extended sentence of 18 years in prison.

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.”