Stamford: Arrest over woman's sexual assault in unlicensed taxi

Police said it received three reports of drivers allegedly running a taxi service without a valid license in Stamford

A man has been arrested after a woman was sexually assaulted in an unlicensed taxi.

The passenger said she was attacked by the driver in Stamford on Saturday night, Lincolnshire Police said.

The force said it had received three reports of drivers allegedly running a taxi service without a valid licence in the area on 17 and 18 February.

A 39-year-old man was held on suspicion of sexual assault and has been released on bail with conditions.

He is not allowed to enter Lincolnshire and approach the public alluding to be a taxi driver, police said.

Lincolnshire Police said the passenger was among a group of women who got into a grey Skoda Octavia estate at about 01:45 GMT and the driver attempted to sexually assault one of them.

Bank card missing

Earlier that same night, shortly before 00:30, a member of the public reported two men in a vehicle claiming to run a taxi service in the town centre, a spokesperson said.

The day before a man reported his bank card had been misused after it went missing during a ride in a vehicle purporting to be a taxi in the town centre, police said.

The force spokesperson said: "We are conducing multiple lines of enquiry to establish and confirm the identity of the people reported to be operating the unlicensed taxis.

"We are working to establish if there are any links between the incidents, and keeping an open mind throughout that process."

Officers have appealed for witnesses or anyone with information to contact the force.

They are "particularly keen to see any dashcam footage which may have captured vehicles without valid licences approaching members of the public".

Lincolnshire Police issued a reminder to people that taxis in Lincolnshire have to display a valid licence showing the driver's permit details.