Utrecht taxi driver faces 9-year sentence for assaulting and raping four young women
A 48-year-old Utrecht taxi driver is accused of assaulting and raping four young women during rides between April 2024 and January 2025. The prosecutor demands a 9-year prison sentence, highlighting the calculated nature of the crimes and the severe violation of trust in public safety.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Suspect | 48-year-old man from Utrecht |
| Charges | Assault and rape of four victims |
| Timeframe | April 2024 – January 2025 |
| Location | Utrecht, including Oud-Zuilen |
| Sentence Demanded | 9-year prison sentence |
| Additional Measures | 5-year restraining order, 8-year taxi driving ban, GVM measure |
| Modus Operandi | Asked victims to sit next to him, deleted dashcam footage, used erection pills |
| Victims | Four young women |
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) is responsible for prosecuting criminal offenses in the Netherlands, ensuring justice for victims and holding perpetrators accountable. In this case, the OM is pursuing severe penalties to address the grave violation of trust and safety in public transportation.
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Read the full translated article below
Prosecutor demands 9-year prison sentence for taxi driver who assaulted and raped young female passengers
“Just take a taxi, then you’ll get home safely.” With these words, girls are sent out every day, because in a taxi you’re safe. Not so in the taxi of this suspect.” Today, the public prosecutor is demanding a 9-year prison sentence against a 48-year-old man from Utrecht. The man is suspected of assaulting and raping four victims he transported between April 2024 and January 2025 in his taxi.
On January 29, 2025, a young woman gets into a taxi after going out. After giving her address, the taxi starts driving—but not toward her home. The taxi driver takes her to a field in Oud-Zuilen, where he stops the car and rapes the victim. Based on the victim’s statement, the suspect—a 48-year-old man—is arrested shortly after the incident. Police quickly link him to three other serious sex crimes. In those cases, young women also report being transported by a driver who, against their will, committed sexual acts during the ride.
Calculated approach
In court, the prosecutor highlights the suspect’s striking calculated approach. She describes how one victim stated that the suspect acted as if his behavior were normal. “To him, this was part of a taxi ride,” the prosecutor says. “He did it again and again.” This is also evident from his modus operandi. For example, he allegedly asked victims to sit next to him so he could reach them easily. There were also erection pills in the car, and the suspect immediately deleted the dashcam footage recorded during the rapes. For these reasons, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) finds the suspect’s claim—that the victims consented to or even initiated his actions—unbelievable.
Violation
The prosecutor is clear about the severity of the facts. “This case painfully exposes that as a woman, as a girl, you are not safe,” the prosecutor begins. “Not when cycling alone on the street, nor in a taxi.” According to the prosecutor, responsibility for that safety is too often placed on the victims. “The problem is not the victims and their choices, but time and again the men who take control of the girls’ bodies. This suspect decided what happened to their bodies.”
Prison sentence
Given the severity of the facts, the OM is demanding a 9-year prison sentence for the suspect. The prosecution also wants the man to receive a 5-year restraining order and an 8-year ban on working as a taxi driver. Additionally, the OM is asking the court to impose a behavior-influencing and freedom-restricting measure (GVM). This would allow authorities to assess at the end of his detention whether further treatment is necessary.