Taxi driver jailed for raping passenger

A TAXI driver from Romford has been convicted and jailed for raping his female passenger.

Edward Chapman, 45, of Beauly Way, Romford, appeared on Tuesday 3, April, at Wood Green Crown Court, where he has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for rape, and will remain on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

Following a seven day trial, the court heard how on 12 August, 2011 the female victim, who was in her mid 30s, had been out with friends and flagged down a Hackney carriage in the early hours of the morning in Shoreditch, east London.

The victim had been feeling unwell and asked to be taken to her home address. However when they reached her home in Finchley, Chapman raped the woman in his cab.

Following the crime the victim informed a friend that she had been assaulted by the driver and then told her family what had happened. Police were called and an immediate investigation, led by detectives from Barnet Sapphire, began.

Officers began a detailed search of CCTV were able to identify the cab that had picked up the victim as it had a distinctive ‘Huffington Post’ advertisement on carriage.

Chapman was arrested on 15 August 2011 and later charged with rape.

He was convicted on Tuesday, 3 April after denying the offence.

Detective Sergeant Steve Grainger, of the Barnet Sapphire unit who investigate serious sexual crime, said: “Firstly I would like to thank the victim and her family for their courage and support during the investigation.

“Chapman was a licensed taxi driver who abused his position to take ruthless advantage of this woman. It is only by the bravery of victims that people like Chapman can be stopped.

“We understand that some victims may be worried about reporting serious sexual assaults to police, but I would like to reassure the public that we take all reports seriously and will investigate them thoroughly. We also have specially trained officers who do all they can to support victims no matter what the circumstances are.”

In sentencing on Tuesday, 3 April, His Honour Judge Browne QC, stated: ‘”Black cab drivers have rightly earned a very high reputation as the most reliable drivers round the streets of London and the suburbs. By your conviction today, you have damaged the reputation of back cab drivers generally. There are several obvious aggravating features of your quite disgraceful conduct.

“This rape involves a gross breach of trust by a professional driver to his passenger, taking advantage of a vulnerable passenger, the passenger being a total stranger to you. Without the considerable courage of victims, rape convictions are impossible. The victim of this rape is still affected by her ordeal at your hands. But what emerged about her character was her calmness, her quiet dignity, and her quest for justice, which has been achieved.”

source: http://www.theenquirer.co.uk/