MANCHESTER

 A TAXI driver bundled a former student into the boot of his wife's car after kidnapping her as she tried to get home from a night out, a court heard.

The 23-year-old ex-university student was celebrating the end of exams in Manchester city centre when she became separated from her friends and found her phone battery had died, a jury at Bolton Crown Court was told.

At 2am on July 19 last year she spotted a row of taxis and knocked on their windows asking to hire them, but they refused as they were already booked.

However, further down the row on Peter Street she came across Muhammad Asim.

He works as a taxi driver, but on this night was driving his wife's BMW instead of his private hire car and was illegally picking up fares, said Andrew Smith, prosecuting.

He added that she asked to be taken home to South Manchester, but after five minutes she said she realised they were heading in the wrong direction and when she questioned Asim, he told her she was going to perform a sex act on him or he would rape her.

"I just felt really really frightened because I'd heard about situations like this before, but you never think it is going to happen to you," said the woman, giving evidence from behind screens.

The jury was told that he drove her to a secluded lane off Phillips Park Road, Whitfield, near Sedgley Park Rugby Club, where she tried to flee twice before he grabbed her, the second time putting her into the car boot.

However, the boot was not locked and she managed to get out again and stumble, barefoot and crying, to a nearby house for help as Asim sped away.

Asim, aged 27, of Victoria Street, Radcliffe, was arrested after police traced his car via number plate recognition and the alleged victim picked him out in an identification procedure.

He denies kidnap and committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence, claiming that she had been abusive and he was trying to get her out of his car.

He added that he had left his boot open as he drove off so that she could not see his registration number and report him for working illegally.

The case continues.

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