Newcastle taxi driver fled UK after raping woman who fell unconscious in back of cab
A taxi driver who fled the country after raping a woman who fell unconscious in the back of his cab has been jailed for 10 years.
Salih Kilicakap, 57, raped the woman after taking her to his home in Newcastle in 2017 but left the country after being charged by police.
He was subsequently extradited back to the UK and pleaded guilty to one count of rape at Newcastle Crown Court on 19 April 2023.
His victim told the court the incident had "tainted" the first part of her adult life.
In a statement, read aloud during proceeding, she said: “I was a young person, and I had my whole life ahead of me.
“The first part of my adult life has been tainted, now I am hoping that I and my loved ones can try to move forward knowing that justice has been served.”
In 2017, Kilicakap took the then 21-year-old, who had fallen unconscious in the back of his taxi, home to his Newcastle address before raping her.
She awoke hours later, terrified and confused with damp hair, later realising her attacker had washed her, and discovered her clothes had also been washed.
The victim fled the property and a police investigation was launched. Kilicakap, a German national, was identified and arrested.
He was charged with rape and failed to attend his first court hearing, fleeing the country and returning to Germany.
Northumbria Police worked with The Metropolitan Police, the National Crime Agency and several overseas forces to put him before the courts.
In August 2022 he was detained in Bulgaria, before being extradited back to the UK and remanded in custody.
Kilicakap was sentenced to 10 years in jail. He also must sign the sex offenders’ register for life and has been barred from holding a taxi licence.
Detective Sergeant Lynne Thompson-Hogg, of the force’s rape investigation team, said: “Firstly, we would like to praise the bravery of this young woman and thank her for her unwavering dignity, as well as for her trust in officers and the Crown Prosecution Service to bring her attacker back to the UK to face justice for the events of that night.
“As a force, protecting the vulnerable is our top priority and that includes protecting women on a night out.
“If you are on a night out and spot anything suspicious or want to report behaviour that has made you feel uneasy or alarmed, please do approach an officer, call us on 101 or contact us online. In an emergency, always call 999.
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