.jpg)
Rapist jailed after following woman into taxi and taking her to Manchester home
- Perry Richardson
- Aug 10
- 3 min read
A man who followed a woman through Manchester city centre before accompanying her into a taxi and taking her to his home has been jailed for eight years.
Mohammed Al Masri, 25, was sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court on Friday 7 August 2026 after being found guilty of rape following a trial in June.
Greater Manchester Police said the woman was walking through Piccadilly Gardens in the early hours of 22 December 2025 as she attempted to get a taxi home following a night out with a friend.
She was speaking to her boyfriend by phone when she realised that two men were following her. One of them was Al Masri, who approached her, complimented her and refused to leave her alone.
According to police, Al Masri then claimed he would help the woman obtain a taxi after she became upset. Both men entered the vehicle with her.
Feeling unsafe, the woman shared her live location with her boyfriend, who alerted police. Al Masri did not take her home and instead brought her to his address in Abbey Hey, where he raped her.
Officers traced the woman to the property and arrested Al Masri at the scene. She was subsequently supported by specialist officers while Greater Manchester Police conducted its investigation.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the survivor said: “I will never forget the fear that I felt when this man took me to his house. I had no idea who he was. I had no idea where I was. I genuinely questioned if I would leave this place with my life.
“There were so many thoughts running through my mind when I arrived at his house however, this man tried to reassure me and tell me that I was going to be safe and my boyfriend was coming. This was all a sick lie.
“I don’t remember much of what happened in the room. I don’t want to remember. I do, however, remember how I felt. I remember not being able to move my body because I was so frozen with fear. I remember thinking ‘I am going to die’. I was thinking about my children and how they would be able to live without a mum. I just wanted it all to be over.
“The next thing I remember is the police entering the room and I have never felt relief like it. I knew I was going to live. This was not the end of what happened to me. I feel like this was only the beginning.”
The woman told the court that she felt like a “zombie” following the attack and struggled to speak to others, leave her home or interact with her children.
She said: “I couldn’t leave the house. I was terrified. I did not trust anybody and couldn’t interact with anybody. I feel like I put myself in self-isolation. I was trying to process what happened but all I could think about was what this man has done to me.
“I could not even rest in my own home due to the constant unsettling feeling of fear and anxiety running through me. It was constant.
“People ask me if I’m okay and I say yes. In reality, I’m not. I am the one who has to deal with this and try and move on. I will never be able to forget what this man did to me. This man has changed me. When I met up with my friend on 21st December, I was a different person then, to who I am now.
“I will never be that person again because of what this man has done.”
In addition to the prison sentence, Al Masri was made subject to a restraining order and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order lasting ten years.
Detective Constable Oliver Smith said: “I’d like to thank the brave survivor for her courage and support throughout the process of this investigation.
“I hope the sentencing of this vile sexual predator offers her a sense of solace while she looks to move on and rebuild her life.
“I urge anyone who might have experienced rape or sexual assault to please come forward and report it. You will always be listened to and supported.”
