Reconstructed image of ‘taxi rapist’ is released
THE alleged rapist of a young woman in Dublin ten days ago is a foreign national taxi driver, gardaí believe.
Yesterday gardaí released a reconstructed image and a detailed description of the suspect, who picked the woman up in his cab after her Christmas party.
Senior sources say that the woman, who is in her early 20s, is believed to be have been raped three times by the taxi driver in his car in the Dublin 1 area.
He picked her up in Ballsbridge after another driver asked her to leave his taxi when she became unwell.
Gardaí yesterday renewed their appeal for witnesses who might have seen suspicious behaviour on Serpentine Avenue in the south city centre in the early hours of Sunday, December 9.
The woman had been attending a Christmas party in a Ballsbridge hotel in Dublin 4 on Saturday evening. She hailed a taxi from the venue but got out of the car after she began to feel unwell.
This driver then left the woman, by agreement, and she got into another car minutes later in the Dublin 4 area.
Detectives were initially unsure as to whether this second car was in fact a taxi. However, CCTV of the second car, a white hatchback, shows a taxi plate and the emblem of Dublin taxis on the side.
Gardaí yesterday released images of the car, but the CCTV has not
Had a beard and was wearing glasses
been able to depict the car’s registration plates clearly.
The ‘evofit’ of the suspect is based on the woman’s recollection of her alleged rapist.
Gardaí have been led to believe from the woman’s recollection and description that her alleged attacker is a foreign national.
Officers yesterday described the man as between 27 to 35 years old, with short black hair and has a beard and was wearing glasses. He was also wearing a short-sleeved shirt.
The victim was brought from Serpentine Avenue in Dublin 4 through the city centre to Emmet Street, Dublin 1, in the white taxi. Gardaí believe the car was parked on Emmet Street between 2am to 3am and at this location the woman was raped three times, sources say.
Gardaí said in a statement: ‘Gardaí wish to make contact with any persons in the Shelbourne Road or Serpentine Avenue area between 12.45am and 2am to come forward and also in the Emmet Street area of Dublin 1 from 2am to 3am to contact us. If any motorists who were in these areas and have dash cam in the vehicles, if they can check their footage and contact investigating gardaí.
‘Gardaí are also appealing to any persons who may have travelled in a white taxi in the early hours of Sunday morning to contact them at Irishtown Garda Station, (01) 666 9600, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666111 or any Garda station.’
So far, a number of people who saw the woman in the area have come forward, telling gardaí she was in a distressed state.
Investigating officers are continuing to trawl through CCTV across the city centre in an effort to find clearer CCTV that could identify the taxi’s registration details.
Gardaí have already tracked down the initial taxi driver who picked up the woman and whose car she left due to illness. This taxi driver is not suspected of any wrongdoing.