A twisted predator posed as a taxi driver to pick up vulnerable women before raping them in remote areas. Nazim Asmal lured his victims into his Toyota Yaris under the guise of taking them home after nights out.
The 34-year-old even contacted one woman afterwards asking her if she ‘wanted to do something’ with him. Asmal preyed on women in the Preston and Darwen areas of Lancashire. He first struck in October 2021 after picking up a victim in the city centre.
He drove her around for approximately 10 minutes before raping her. After dropping her back off in town, she flagged down a stranger and asked them for help. A period of almost a year-and-a-half passed before the second known incident, LancashireLive reports.
A woman had been on a night out in Darwen when she was picked up by Asmal who drove her to the outskirts of the town. After raping her, he managed to get hold of her phone number and called her the following month.
She recognised his voice as he asked her 'if she wanted to do something?' On that same night, he picked up a third victim, again in Darwen town centre.
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As he deliberately drove in the wrong direction, he asked her: "You don't want to pay for this taxi, do you?" Once again, he drove the victim to a secluded area and raped her.
Asmal was arrested after police identified his black Toyota Yaris when it was picked up by CCTV cameras. The homeless man, from Blackburn, pleaded guilty to four counts of rape when he appeared at Preston Crown Court on Friday, November 17.
He will be sentenced on February 13. DI Darren Irving, from East RASSO Team, said: "Asmal deliberately targeted his victims because of their vulnerable state and subjected them to serious sexual assaults.
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“Although today's headlines will quite rightly focus on Asmal's abhorrent offending, my thoughts are very much with the victims who continue to be supported by specially trained officers.
"If you or somebody you know has been the victim of a sexual offence I would encourage you to contact the police knowing you will be listened to, believed and that we will do everything we can to put the perpetrator before the courts."
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