A man has been sentenced to five years and six months in prison for pretending to be a taxi driver, kidnapping a woman, and coercing her to expose herself. Damian Watson, 36, targeted a woman outside Anfield Stadium in Liverpool by luring her into his white Mercedes van under the guise of being her Uber driver.
Watson locked the doors and pressured the woman to reveal her breasts during a half-hour ordeal. The victim, realizing she was not in a legitimate Uber ride, became alarmed when her trip was canceled. When she questioned Watson about their location, he callously informed her they were in Bootle.
Despite her pleas to be taken to the city center, Watson persistently demanded that she comply with his lewd requests. The victim, feeling threatened, reluctantly exposed herself twice as Watson aggressively insisted.
Watson filmed the distressing incident on his mobile phone before finally dropping the victim off in the city center. Although denying any wrongdoing during police questioning, Watson eventually pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping and non-consensual sexual activity.
During sentencing, Recorder Anna Pope KC emphasized the premeditated nature of Watson’s actions, highlighting the victim’s terror and courage throughout the traumatic experience. She condemned Watson’s deliberate targeting of a vulnerable woman and emphasized the importance of ensuring safety for individuals in the community.
In addition to his prison sentence, Watson was issued an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and will be listed on the sex offenders’ register for life.
