Abdul Shahid (Image: South Wales Police)
Last Updated: 1 minute ago
A 41-year-old man who deceived a woman into believing he was an Uber driver before raping her has been given an extended prison sentence of 18 years.
Abdul Shahid, from Sketty, was found guilty by a jury of two counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration after standing trial, having denied all the charges against him.
The deception
Shahid picked up his victim in Swansea city centre, giving her the false impression that he was an Uber driver. Rather than taking her home, he drove along dark roads before pulling into a car park, where he carried out the attack.
The verdict and sentence
After being convicted by the jury, Shahid was handed an extended sentence of 18 years in prison.
South Wales Police said that during the trial, Shahid showed no remorse and attempted to place blame on his victim.
Police response
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.”
