Rezgar Zengana brutally raped a 25-year-old woman on a night out in the city centre by posing as a taxi driver.
Today - exactly seven years since he went on the run - we can reveal he may be hiding out in a Turkish bolthole.
Rather than face sentence after being convicted of rape in June, 2008, Zengana fled the country.
The sexual predator - who has as many as four aliases - was ordered to return to court for sentencing the following month, but he then vanished.
Senior detectives fear the 32-year-old may have fled to Turkey, which has become a popular haven for criminals looking to keep out of the reach of the law.
Police said in 2011 that they feared he had gone to the Netherlands, but now, the net has been widened to Turkey.
Zengana is around 6ft tall, of slim build, with black hair and brown eyes. He is described as being of "Middle Eastern appearance" and was born in Iraq in 1983.
He has been known to use various aliases, including Abdul Qadar, Rusheer Ahmed, Syed Waq and Ali Kermin.
Zengana picked up his victim in Argyle Street in December, 2006, while posing as a private hire driver.
She was going home from a Christmas party.
But, instead, Zengana took her to a property in Cessnock, where he carried out the attack.
He was convicted but was bailed while awaiting sentence, and disappeared. Zengana recently featured on Police Scotland's Most Wanted list and officers have appealed for information.
A statement read: "Police Scotland is appealing to the public for any information they have which could help trace him.
"If you have seen him, or know someone who may have information of his whereabouts, please contact Police Scotland on 101. Alternatively, if you wish to pass information anonymously you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/u/taxi-driver-rapist-suspected-to-be-on-the-run-in-turkey.1433490140
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Bristol has become the first city in the South West to get cashless taxi service Uber, which sees users download a free app to the their phone, order a cab to their exact location and watch in real time as their driver makes their way across the city to their pick-up point.
Uber markets itself as a cheaper, more convenient and safer way to travel. It says its prices can be up to 20 per cent lower than private hire firms or Hackney cabs, with a journey from Bristol Temple Meads to Cabot Circus priced at around £3.60, and from UWE to Park Street costing £10.80.
The app also eliminates the need for passengers to carry cash, with payments being made through the app.
Hundreds of drivers in Bristol have registered to become Uber "partners". Unlike private hire companies, drivers for Uber do not work set shifts, and can fit their hours around their own schedule, as well as meeting demand during busier periods.
The way Uber, which describes itself as an "online platform" connecting riders and drivers rather than a transport provider, operates has caused some controversy, with claims drivers are not put through strenuous enough checks and the company is not accountable.
This has caused the app to be banned in some countries, including India.
But Uber Bristol's general manager, Fred Jones, said Uber's drivers are no different to other taxi drivers in the city. All Uber drivers in the UK have passed an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
"People seem to think that Uber has a different way of operating when it comes to drivers being regulated, but it doesn't," Fred explained. "Drivers are subject to the same checks by the local authority, and all of our Bristol drivers have worked closely with the city council. And are insured as private hire cars in exactly the same way as other taxis."
From 4pm this afternoon, Uber drivers will be operating in Bristol. In the initial stages of the company's launch, drivers will focus on central areas of the city.
Mr Jones said: "We are all really excited to be launching in Bristol. We chose it as the first location in the South West as we were seeing a huge amount of interest from both drivers and people wanting to use the service. Plus, Bristol is a very important city in the west.
"We have had a really positive response from drivers. And the most important thing for us is that all of our drivers love their jobs and are really passionate about customer service."
The company, which launched in San Francisco in 2009, already operates in hundreds of cities across the globe, including London and Manchester in the UK. It is currently focusing on a huge expansion in Europe, which it claims could create 50,000 new jobs.
The service being launched in Bristol today is UberX - the company's most basic transport offering. The service is described as "cheap, fast and reliable", and users can request a licensed driver in a "Toyota Prius or equivalent".
UberX is also launching in a number of other UK cities including Leeds, Birmingham, Wakefield and Newcastle. If the service is well received across the city, some of Uber's more luxury transport options could launch.
To celebrate the launch, Uber is offering anyone who uses the service today a free journey up to the value of £15. It also allows users to refer a friend and if they do , both parties will receive a free journey.
Mr Jones added: "Uber has been embraced by riders and drivers in every city it has opened in, and we're sure Bristol will be no different.
"There is a lot of cool stuff you can do on the app; you can send your journey information to someone else who can then track your whereabouts and you can split the cost of a fare between you and your friends.
"We are confident that everyone will enjoy using Uber, and if they do we want them to spread the Uber love. Everyone at Uber Bristol is very excited."
The arrival of Uber in Bristol may not be good news for everyone. The news that the global company will be launching in the city has been met with mixed reviews by taxi drivers.
Some drivers have expressed concerns at being "under cut" by Uber, who claim to be cheaper, safer and more convenient than traditional taxi companies.
Tim Lloyd, 54, is the former chairman of the Bristol branch of the National Taxi Association and has been a Hackney cab driver in the city for 20 years.
He said: "Taxi drivers have a bad opinion of Uber because of safety. We are all monitored by the council, are fully traceable and are CRB checked, so there is someone accountable for us, but in some places the rules for Uber have not been as strict."
Mr Lloyd added that drivers in Bristol were aware Uber was planning on launching in the city, and were concerned about what Ubers arrival in the city could mean for business.
He said: "In terms of business, I don't really know what it would mean for us, but it's more competition. I haven't got a problem with competition, but it's a concern for people who have spent a lot of money of vehicles to accommodate disabled people.
"You've got to have a level playing field but I think Uber would come in and undercut both us and private hire firms. It's a concern for drivers in Bristol. It's also taking away from local companies and drivers keeping money in the local economy."
What is Uber?
Using the app, you can see who your driver will be and track where they are while you wait. To use the service, you need to download the Uber app on iTunes or the Google Play store. You sign up, and enter a credit card number.
You then book your cab - your location is pinpointed with the GPS on your phone. You choose what kind of car you need, check the estimated price of the journey, and then you are told how long you will need to wait for your car to arrive. You can even see where it is on a map. You see a photo of your driver, their name, and a contact phone number.
When you arrive at your destination you won't need to hand over cash as the company has your credit card details and you get an email the next day with a breakdown of the costs. You are also not expected to tip your driver. You can also split the fare between you and your friends.
http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Cashless-taxi-app-Uber-launch-Bristol-today-city/story-26641698-detail/story.html
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LONDON
A 52-year-old taxi driver has died and a 24-year-old man has been arrested following a crash in Chislehurst this morning (June 5).
Police were called to Royal Parade with the junction of Bromley Road at around 3.30am to reports of a crash between a car and a taxi.
The taxi driver suffered critical injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by doctors from London Air Ambulance.
His next-of-kin have been informed and a formal identification and a post-mortem is due to take place at a later date.
The driver of the car, a man aged 24, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by careless driving.
http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/13315120._/
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The boss of Sheffield’s new Uber taxi service – which has proved controversial in other cities – says ‘competition is a good thing’ as it launches today.
The service allows people to order and pay for a taxi from an app on their mobile phone which sends the closest licensed private hire driver signed up to the scheme to each customer.
http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/local/competition-is-a-good-thing-says-taxi-boss-as-sheffield-uber-launches-tonight-1-7294275
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New Delhi: Delhi Police has prosecuted 450 cabs of banned app-based taxi services including Uber in the past three days in its latest crackdown on these service providers.
In a bid to beat banned these taxi services in their own game, Delhi Traffic Police has asked its officials to download their apps and book cabs so as to challan and impound the cars when they arrives.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/450-cabs-of-banned-app-based-taxi-services-prosecuted-in-three-days-1002144.html
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A DECISION not to grant a taxi licence to a Langley Green driver has been upheld in court.
Crawley Borough Council refused to give a private hire licence to Touseef Ulfat because he had not mentioned a conviction for dishonesty in his application.
He was also deemed to not be a "fit and proper person" but appealed the decision and took it to Horsham Magistrates' Court, where a hearing was held on Thursday last week (May 28).
Ulfat, of Maiden Lane, Langley Green, was told he must pay £250 towards the costs of the court case.
http://www.crawleynews.co.uk/Decision-grant-taxi-licence-dishonest-Langley/story-26642134-detail/story.html
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