Investigation continues after woman reports being raped in Derry: 'Legal taxi' ruled out by police

A PSNI spokesperson said: “At this time, from the enquiries made in our investigation, we do not believe that the vehicle involved is associated with, linked to or registered with any legal taxi firm.

“Two men were arrested as part of the investigation.

“One of these man, aged 59 years old, has been ruled out of the enquiry and is no longer a suspect.

“The second man who was arrested, aged 58 years old, was released on bail to allow for further police enquiries.

“The investigation continues.”

The victim, who is in her early 30s, was on a night out with friends in the city centre and reported being sexually assaulted after getting into what she believed to be a taxi.

Her family contacted the ‘Journal’ to warn women to be vigilant after the assault. A relative said they feared it wasn’t the alleged perpetrator’s first victim.

The young woman was in a night spot in the city centre when a man approached her and her friend, they said.

"He came over and said, ‘oh, I've picked you up a few times’. He asked if he could get them a drink.

"He then got them a drink and took them down to the end of the bar. Her friend was getting a bad vibe off him,” the relative said.

They subsequently left the man and the night spot and the young woman ordered a taxi on her phone.

As she was awaiting her booked taxi, a car which she believed to be the taxi appeared and she jumped in, the relative said.

Once in the vehicle she recognised the man from inside the bar.

"He proceeded to take her the route home but took the road off to Prehen, stating it was a ‘short-cut’ to the Waterside area where she was going."

He then parked the car. It was at this point the woman reports being raped.

The relative described the horrific ordeal the woman went through.

"Then he just got off her and took her home as if nothing had happened,” said the family member.

The victim, said her relative, asked the man to stop some distance from her home because she did not want him to know where she lived.

She then ran home and told her partner about the rape and they reported it to the PSNI.

The relative spoke of the impact the attack has had on the woman.

"She is not good,” the relative said. “She is afraid to even leave her house at the minute.

"She has had to get tablets from the doctor to even sleep. It is not something that anyone should have to go through.

“He seemed to know what he was doing. She feels like he has probably done it before and will likely do it again if something isn't done about it.

"She just wants to make people aware.”

Police confirmed that a 59-year-old man arrested following a report of a serious sexual assault in the Waterside area on December 31, 2023, has been ruled out of the enquiry and is no longer a suspect. A 58-year-old man was released on bail to allow for further enquiries.

The woman’s relative said the victim remains traumatised but wants to raise vigilance among young women in the city.