Man pretending to be taxi driver parked on taxi rank jailed for kidnapping and sexual assault

Image credit: South Wales Police

A man who lured a woman into his car by pretending to be a taxi driver before locking the doors and launching a sexual assault on his victim, has been jailed.

Andras Jancso, described by police as an ‘incredibly dangerous person’, was sentenced to a six-year prison term for kidnapping and sexual assault. The sentence was handed down at Swansea Crown Court on Friday 12 January 2024.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday 2 July 2023, in Swansea. The victim, having spent the evening out with friends, was attempting to return home. She mistakenly entered a vehicle parked in a designated taxi rank area, assuming it was a licensed taxi. However, the driver, Andras Jancso, was not a legitimate taxi driver.

Shortly after the journey began, 45-year-old Jancso deviated from the route to the victim's home and locked the vehicle's doors, preventing her escape. He then proceeded to sexually assault the victim. In a quick-thinking response, the victim managed to use her mobile phone to call a friend and share her location. Additionally, she took a video from the front passenger seat, which later played a crucial role in identifying Jancso as her attacker.

After a period of resistance, the victim convinced Jancso to let her out of the vehicle. She deliberately asked to be dropped off a distance away from her actual home to prevent Jancso from learning her home address.

Detective Constable Abi Doxsey, who led the investigation, said: “In this case we must pay tribute to the bravery of the victim. She was exceptionally brave during trial – attending in person with no special measures – and assisted in identifying her attacker, who was a stranger to her.

“Had it not been for her instinct at the time of the offence, we would not have been able to identify the perpetrator. She deserves huge praise for what she has accomplished in ensuring that justice has been served on Andras Jancso.

“An incredibly dangerous person is now rightfully off our streets.”