Manchester: Man who posed as a taxi driver to lure and rape woman is jailed

A man has been jailed after posing as a taxi driver to abduct and rape a woman he found in the street.

Ernesto Lusadisu, 35, targeted the 25-year-old after she separated from her friends during a night out.

The man has now been jailed for 12 years after being convicted of sexual assault and rape.

The court heard how Lusadisu found his victim on Church Street in January 2018, in the early hours of the 21st.

His victim told Manchester Crown Court that she has "completely changed" following the events of the night.

The woman, who was drunk, had been heading towards Manchester Piccadilly station to get a taxi home.

Lusadisu, of Sawley Road in Miles Platting, walked her to his car and agreed to drive her home.

The victim asked for the driver to stop when she realised they were heading in the wrong direction, only for Lusadisu to take her to his home before raping her.

The 25-year-old woman was eventually able to escape and alert a neighbour, who called the police.

She gave a brave statement to the court, saying "I don't go out much at all now and don't go out at all without my husband or a close friend. I am anxious when I do go out and I have suffered with depression.

''I have had panic attacks because of what happened and I now don't sleep well at all. I have changed jobs three times since I was sexually assaulted as sometimes I can't face people or face leaving the house.

"I have got my safe bubble of my family and close friends but often can't face anyone else as I don't trust other people now”.

Det Sgt Kirsty Wroe said: "The victim trusted this man to safely drive her home. Instead, he lied and took advantage of her by abusing her in one of the worst ways possible".