Irish taxi driver sentenced to four years for sexual assault of young woman in Derry

A 63-year-old taxi driver from the Republic of Ireland has been sentenced at Londonderry Crown Court for the sexual assault of an 18-year-old woman.

Paul Bryan was handed a four-year sentence, with two years to be served in custody and a further two years on licence. The court also ordered Bryan to be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

The offences took place in October 2017, when Bryan took advantage of a vulnerable young woman who had become separated from her friends while trying to get home in Derry/Londonderry.

Detective Constable Buchanan, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Public Protection Branch, praised the collaborative efforts with An Garda Síochána and commended the survivor for her courage in coming forward.

The police emphasised the importance of reporting sexual assaults, encouraging victims to report any incidents, regardless of when or where they occurred, ensuring that all reports will be handled with respect.

Detective Constable Buchanan said: “Paul Bryan took advantage of a vulnerable young woman who became separated from her friends, when she was trying to get home safely in his taxi in Derry / Londonderry in October 2017.

“This was a complex investigation and we would like to thank our colleagues at An Garda Síochána for their efforts and support with this case. I would also like to commend the survivor in this case for her bravery in reporting this incident to Police.

“The Police Service of Northern Ireland takes all reports of sexual assault seriously, and we urge anyone who has ever been the victim of sexual abuse to come forward and report it, regardless of where, or when it happened, safe in the knowledge that they will be treated with respect and dignity. Report to Police on 101 or in an emergency always dial 999.”