A taxi driver has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for taking a woman to a cemetery and raping her after being instructed by her friends to ensure her safe return home.
David Greaves, 42, picked up the woman after a night out in Newton Aycliffe. Her friend, concerned for her safety due to her intoxication, explicitly told Greaves, “Make sure she gets home safely; she’s had a lot to drink.”
However, Greaves drove the woman to a secluded cemetery car park instead of taking her home and raped her. The journey, which should have taken just five or ten minutes, lasted an hour, the court heard.
The following day, the woman woke up bruised and sore, realizing something had happened but unable to remember the details. Upon confronting Greaves, he admitted to having sex with her before dropping her off at home.
Greaves, of Wansbeck Close, Spennymoor, was arrested and charged with rape. He denied the offence, claiming the sex was consensual, but a jury at Durham Crown Court found him unanimously guilty.
A pre-sentence report classified Greaves as a dangerous offender, leading to his 15-year sentence.
Victim’s Impact
In a victim impact statement, the woman described her ongoing struggles with panic attacks, depression, and sleeplessness. She said, “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.”
She continued, “He has changed my life forever by his actions. I have ongoing feelings of self-loathing 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.”
Court Proceedings
Prosecutor Paul Cleasby stated that Greaves took advantage of the victim’s vulnerable state, driving her to a secluded area to carry out the attack. Stuart Duke, representing Greaves, argued that his client maintains his innocence and is pessimistic about his future.
Judge Jo Kidd, in her sentencing remarks, condemned Greaves’ actions and his delusional attitude towards the crime. “No one will ever know what you did to her when she was in that secluded, dark area, in that taxi with you. It’s an understandable source of trauma to your victim,” she said.
Detective Constable Dave Taylor from South Durham CID, who led the investigation, praised the victim’s bravery and emphasized the breach of trust by Greaves. “As a taxi driver, Greaves held a position of trust – his job was to get people home safely. On that evening, he abused this position for his own gratification.”
Taylor added, “I’d like to commend the bravery of the woman in this case, who has shown immense courage in standing up to her rapist at court. By pleading not guilty, Greaves subjected her to further trauma by forcing her to relive her ordeal in court.”
A Message of Support
Taylor concluded by encouraging victims of sexual assault to come forward. “If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, please tell us – you will be listened to, and we will believe you. We know it can be difficult, but we have specially trained officers who will support you every step of the way.”
