‘FAKE TAXI’ driver charged after three women subjected to serious sexual assaults

Detectives investigating a series of rapes involving a ‘fake taxi’ across Lancashire have charged a man.

Lancashire Police Rape and Serious Sexual Offending (RASSO) Team launched an investigation into allegations which cover incidents in Darwen and Preston involving three separate women.

All three women reported getting into what they believed was a taxi, before being subjected to serious sexual assaults.

Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Nazim Asmal, 33, was charged with a number of offences. They include rape, sexual assault and committing an offence with the intention of committing a relevant sexual offence.

Asmal appeared before Blackburn magistrates this morning and was remanded into custody. He will appear before a crown court judge on 11 July.

DI Darren Irving, of East CID, said: “Although we have charged a man, our investigation is very much ongoing. If you have any information which you believe is relevant to this investigation I would ask that you call 101, quoting log 691 of June 13, 2023.”