Woman, 20, sexually assaulted by man posing as taxi driver

Manzoor Hassan, 34, scoured the streets of Edinburgh in the early hours before luring a 20-year-old woman into his car,

Instead of driving the Irish student to a hostel where she was staying with friends, Hassan drove around the city until she fell asleep. He then stripped, got into the back seat and sexually assaulted her.

At the High Court in Livingston yesterday, Hassan, of Home Street, Edinburgh, admitted abduction and sexual assault to the girl's injury. Allegations that he tried to rape his victim were dropped.

The judge, Lady Smith, put Hassan on the sex offenders register, remanded him in custody and ordered background reports. He will be sentenced next month.

Derek Ogg, QC, prosecuting, told the court the victim had been on a night out in Edinburgh with friends from a Dublin university and had gone to a nightclub.

"She says she was very drunk. She is seen on CCTV leaving the nightclub about 2:10am. She had lost her friends in the club," Mr Ogg said.

She was waving her arm, looking for a taxi and got into Hassan's car. He took her on a drive around Edinburgh, reassuring her that he was taking her to the hostel.

Mr Ogg said: "The complainer has no memory for a period thereafter and had almost certainly fallen asleep. Her next recollection was at about 4:30am in the morning, when the accused climbed into the back of the taxi naked."

The woman managed to fight her attacker off and ran to a house for help.

Mr Ogg added: "This crime has had a devastating effect on this young woman. She has, however, recovered sufficiently to carry on with her university studies and live as normal a life as possible.

"She is, however, very well aware of just how dangerous the situation was and does not travel in taxis on her own."