David Greaves

David Greaves, a 42-year-old taxi driver from Spennymoor, County Durham, was convicted of rape after assaulting a female passenger in his vehicle. The incident occurred when the victim, who had been out for the evening in Newton Aycliffe and was heavily intoxicated, was collected by Greaves. Her friend explicitly instructed him to ensure she got home safely, but instead, Greaves drove her to a secluded car park at a cemetery where he committed the rape.

The victim woke the following day feeling bruised and sore, though she had no recollection of the events due to her intoxication. Upon confronting Greaves, he admitted to having sex with her before dropping her off at home. Traumatised, she promptly contacted the police, leading to his arrest and subsequent charges.

Greaves denied the allegations, claiming the encounter was consensual. However, at Durham Crown Court, a jury unanimously found him guilty following a trial. A pre-sentence report classified him as a dangerous offender, resulting in a 15-year custodial sentence handed down in July 2024.

In her victim impact statement, the woman described the profound and lasting effects of the assault: 'As a taxi driver he was in a position of trust and on the night he raped me, he had one job, that job was to get me home safely while I was intoxicated and not to rape me when I was too drunk to know what was going on. He has changed my life forever by his actions. I have ongoing feelings of self-loathe and disgust at what happened, feelings of worthlessness, low confidence and self-esteem, of panic, anxiety and depression. I see danger everywhere and wonder who will hurt me next. I see everyone as a potential threat to me, making me hyper vigilant when I am out, sometimes crossing the road or changing direction if someone gets too close to me or is following me in the street. I do not think I will ever trust anyone ever again.'

Tragically, just 18 months after his conviction, David Greaves died in prison. A Prison Service spokesperson confirmed: 'HMP Rye Hill prisoner David Greaves died on 15 January 2026. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.' The case was reported by Chronicle Live, highlighting the severity of the offence and its consequences.