NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • All Blacks
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & TĹŤrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • ManawatĹŤ - Whanganui
    • All ManawatĹŤ - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • ManawatĹŤ
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Unregistered Dunedin taxi driver accused of kidnapping and rape after answering Facebook request

By Erin Cox
Otago Daily Times¡
21 Aug, 2023 06:23 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
    • captions off, selected

      This is a modal window.

      Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

      Text
      Text Background
      Caption Area Background
      Font Size
      Text Edge Style
      Font Family

      End of dialog window.

      This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

      Autoplay in
      5
      Disable Autoplay
      Cancel Video
      Labour’s latest election promise as the party grapples with its worst poll result in six years, UK nurse Lucy Letby sentenced for the murders of seven babies ad another blow for Auckland motorists. Video / NZ Herald / AP / Getty

      Warning: Contains details of an alleged sexual assault and may cause distress.

      A Dunedin man has denied four sex charges after using his unregistered taxi service to allegedly kidnap a woman.

      The man, who has interim name suppression, stands accused of indecent assault, kidnapping, sexual violation by rape and two charges of sexual violation by unlawful connection.

      Anne Stevens KC said the woman had her legs open and was draping them across the dashboard, when her client instructed her to take them down — only touching her legs to remedy the “dangerous” behaviour.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      Crown prosecutor Marcail Brosnan said in the early hours of February 7, 2021, the woman posted on a sober drivers’ Facebook page, seeking a ride home — once she confirmed her ride, she realised her phone battery had died.

      The man allegedly made two stops, with the complainant’s friend exiting the car before it headed to Mosgiel, the Dunedin District Court heard yesterday.

      The complainant said she had initially intended on staying with her friend, but changed her mind, wanting the comfort of her own bed.

      Yesterday, the jury watched the woman’s police interview where she disclosed the graphic details of the alleged assault.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      She said it began while she sat in the front passenger seat, with the man attempting to touch her hands.

      “He started touching my leg and calling me beautiful ... he said something along the lines of ‘sorry, you’re so pretty, you’re so gorgeous’.”

      The woman said as they drove along the motorway, his hands were creeping up her legs.

      She also noticed he was driving very slowly.

      “I told him he needed to go faster and put both hands on the wheel and speed up.

      “I kind of knew what was going to happen ... I was just very scared.”

      Things allegedly took a violent turn when the man said he needed to get something out of the boot, pulling into a grass verge as the pair drove into Mosgiel.

      “He took his seatbelt off, he moved on top of me ... it was very quick.

      “He must have locked the doors while we were driving because I didn’t realise they were locked until I tried to get out.”

      She said the man violated her, ignoring her clear protests.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      “I was trying to get him off me and he grabbed me by the throat.

      “I was trying to tell him to stop but I couldn’t really breathe.”

      The woman then described how the man raped her in the back seat, strangling her and pinning her down with his arm.

      “I was just thinking how I needed to convince him to let me go to the toilet so I can just run away.”

      The man allegedly became frustrated with the woman’s repeated requests and eventually relented, opening the door if she promised to come back.

      As the man opened the door, the woman said she ran away and hid in some bushes before fleeing to a nearby petrol station.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      In court, pictures of the woman’s bruised body were shown to the jury.

      She will be cross-examined today.

      The trial before Judge David Robinson is expected to take more than a week, with the Crown calling witnesses to corroborate the woman’s story — including a service station worker, the doctor who examined her and five police officers.

      The defendant was expected to provide evidence the woman “was very drunk”, leading the driver to a dead-end road before running away, leaving the fare unpaid.

      “He is presumed innocent, a fact you must keep front of mind as you hear the evidence,” Stevens said.

      SEXUAL HARM


      Where to get help:
      If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
      If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7:
      • Call 0800 044 334
      • Text 4334
      • Email support@safetotalk.nz
      • For more info or to web chat visit safetotalk.nz
      Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list.
      If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it's not your fault.


      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Save

        Share this article

      Latest from New Zealand

      New Zealand

      'Serious leg injury': Police probe after incident in Murupara

      05 Jul 02:08 AM
      New Zealand

      'Systemic failings': Coroner criticises Oranga Tamariki after 14yo runaway's huffing death

      05 Jul 02:07 AM
      New Zealand|auckland

      'I will f****n' smash you': Kāinga Ora tenant evicted after threats, knife incident

      05 Jul 02:00 AM

      There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

      sponsored
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Recommended for you
      'Serious leg injury': Police probe after incident in Murupara
      New Zealand

      'Serious leg injury': Police probe after incident in Murupara

      05 Jul 02:08 AM
      'Systemic failings': Coroner criticises Oranga Tamariki after 14yo runaway's huffing death
      New Zealand

      'Systemic failings': Coroner criticises Oranga Tamariki after 14yo runaway's huffing death

      05 Jul 02:07 AM
      Black Ferns take lead trial match at halftime
      Black Ferns

      Black Ferns take lead trial match at halftime

      05 Jul 02:04 AM
      'I will f****n' smash you': Kāinga Ora tenant evicted after threats, knife incident
      New Zealand

      'I will f****n' smash you': Kāinga Ora tenant evicted after threats, knife incident

      05 Jul 02:00 AM
      Emergency services scramble as vehicle goes off cliff in Auckland
      New Zealand

      Emergency services scramble as vehicle goes off cliff in Auckland

      05 Jul 01:39 AM

      Latest from New Zealand

      'Serious leg injury': Police probe after incident in Murupara

      'Serious leg injury': Police probe after incident in Murupara

      05 Jul 02:08 AM

      A man has been taken to hospital after being found with an injured leg.

      'Systemic failings': Coroner criticises Oranga Tamariki after 14yo runaway's huffing death

      'Systemic failings': Coroner criticises Oranga Tamariki after 14yo runaway's huffing death

      05 Jul 02:07 AM
      'I will f****n' smash you': Kāinga Ora tenant evicted after threats, knife incident

      'I will f****n' smash you': Kāinga Ora tenant evicted after threats, knife incident

      05 Jul 02:00 AM
      Emergency services scramble as vehicle goes off cliff in Auckland

      Emergency services scramble as vehicle goes off cliff in Auckland

      05 Jul 01:39 AM
      From early mornings to easy living
      sponsored

      From early mornings to easy living

      NZ Herald
      • About NZ Herald
      • Meet the journalists
      • Newsletters
      • Classifieds
      • Help & support
      • Contact us
      • House rules
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of use
      • Competition terms & conditions
      • Our use of AI
      Subscriber Services
      • NZ Herald e-editions
      • Daily puzzles & quizzes
      • Manage your digital subscription
      • Manage your print subscription
      • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
      • Subscribe to Herald Premium
      • Gift a subscription
      • Subscriber FAQs
      • Subscription terms & conditions
      • Promotions and subscriber benefits
      NZME Network
      • The New Zealand Herald
      • The Northland Age
      • The Northern Advocate
      • Waikato Herald
      • Bay of Plenty Times
      • Rotorua Daily Post
      • Hawke's Bay Today
      • Whanganui Chronicle
      • Viva
      • NZ Listener
      • Newstalk ZB
      • BusinessDesk
      • OneRoof
      • Driven Car Guide
      • iHeart Radio
      • Restaurant Hub
      NZME
      • About NZME
      • NZME careers
      • Advertise with NZME
      • Digital self-service advertising
      • Book your classified ad
      • Photo sales
      • NZME Events
      • Š Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
      TOP
      search by queryly Advanced Search