Nazim Asmal

On 1 August 2024, Nazim Asmal, a 35-year-old resident of Blackburn, was sentenced to 17 years in custody at Preston Crown Court for committing multiple rapes against three women in the North West of England. The offences, which occurred between 2021 and 2023, involved Asmal targeting vulnerable women at night, deceiving them into believing he was offering safe transport home, only to drive them to isolated locations for sexual assault. The case was prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in collaboration with Lancashire Constabulary, highlighting a pattern of predatory behaviour that devastated the victims' lives.

The first incident took place in the early hours of 3 October 2021 in Preston city centre. Asmal, driving an Audi Coupe, approached a 23-year-old woman who had become separated from her friends during a night out. Offering her a lift, he instead drove her to a secluded area near Preston docks, where he raped her twice. He later dropped her off near her home, where a concerned passer-by found her in a distressed state and provided assistance. This attack set the pattern for Asmal's subsequent crimes.

• On 5 March 2023, in Darwen, Asmal approached a 19-year-old woman in his Toyota Yaris after she had been out with friends. Mistaking him for a taxi driver, she entered the vehicle requesting a ride home. He deviated from the route, parked in a secluded spot, and raped her. The following day, he called her phone three times; when she answered and recognised his voice, she hung up. Days later, he appeared at her workplace inquiring about her, further escalating the victim's fear.
• The third assault occurred on 8 April 2023, also in Darwen. Asmal targeted a 35-year-old woman returning from an evening out with family. Again posing as a taxi driver, he drove her to a secluded area in the Yaris, repeatedly asking, 'You don't want to pay for this taxi, do you?' before raping her. He then abandoned her near her home, where a member of the public came to her aid.

Lancashire Constabulary linked the attacks after identifying the Toyota Yaris as registered to Asmal. Following his arrest, officers seized his phone, which provided evidence leading to the identification of the third victim. The CPS authorised charges against Asmal for all three incidents. On 17 November 2023, he pleaded guilty to four counts of rape at Preston Crown Court.

Sentencing details include an extended licence period of five years post-release, an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and lifelong registration on the sex offenders' register. Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Janet Potter for the North West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit stated: 'Nazim Asmal is an extremely dangerous man who targeted lone women at night. He led them to believe he was a good citizen offering to help them get home safely, when he is in fact a predator who was intent on using serious sexual violence towards them.' She emphasised the devastating impact on the victims, who have altered their lifestyles since the attacks, and praised their courage in supporting the prosecution. Potter added: 'Every woman has the right to feel and be safe on our streets no matter what time of day or night without fear of being sexually assaulted. The CPS is committed to bringing offenders who commit crimes against women to justice.'

The case, reported via the official CPS press release dated 1 August 2024, underscores the authorities' resolve in tackling sexual violence. Asmal's date of birth is 11 July 1989, confirming his age at the time of sentencing.