Teenage girl raped after accepting lift home

A teenage girl was raped after accepting a lift home from a stranger in Rochdale.

At about 12.40am on Saturday 1 December 2012, the 17-year-old was on Fleece Street when she was approached by a man in a car who offered her a lift home.

She accepted and the man took her to her house in Newbold.

During the journey he made threats towards her, leaving her frightened for her safety.

As she opened her front door the man got out of his car and followed her in.

Taking advantage of her drunken state he then raped her.

The man is described as Asian, in his early 20s, 5ft 7in tall and of stocky build. He had short black hair, was clean shaven and was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans.

Detective Inspector Ian Harratt, of the Serious Sexual Offences Unit, said: “The victim, suffering the effects of having consumed a variety of drinks during a night out, has accepted a lift home from a stranger in the early hours.

“The end result, tragically, is that he has forced his way into her house and raped her.

“If anyone can help us identify this person I would urge them to contact us.

“Unfortunately this incident acts as a timely reminder of just how important is it to keep yourself safe, especially in the lead up to Christmas when more people will be out drinking and socialising.

“Clearly, there are those prepared to take advantage of people when they are at their most vulnerable and by following a few safety tips, such as only travelling in pre-booked taxis and always staying with friends, we have a much better chance of having a safe Christmas.”

Tips on how people can have a fun safe night out:

Take safe transport:
- When planning to go out, plan to get home safely
- Try to pre-book a taxi before going out and arrange to be picked up from a safe, well lit, meeting point
- Find out where taxi ranks are and try to choose staffed ones
- If alone, book a taxi firm you know and trust. Do not get into a private hire car (they look like a normal car) unless you have booked them first. Only hackney carriages (traditional black cabs) are insured to carry passengers who have flagged them down. Always sit in the back, preferably behind the driver
- Some pubs and clubs will book you a taxi and allow you to wait in their premises.
- Never accept a lift from a stranger

Walking:
- Avoid walking home alone. If you have no other choice, walk in the middle of the pavement and avoid short cuts through dimly lit deserted areas. Face ongoing traffic where you can be seen as this will avoid the surprise of a vehicle approaching from behind
- If you think you are being followed, cross the street several times if necessary. If you still think you are being followed, walk to the busiest area you can find or knock on somebody's door.

Pace your drinks:
- To enjoy a longer night out pace your drinks and drink plenty of water
- Always try to eat something before a night out. This will help soak up the alcohol
- If you feel too drunk, switch to soft drinks for a while. Water will rehydrate your brain, help stop dizziness, lessen the hangover pain and help prevent queasiness.

Friends stay together:
- Go into town together and leave together. Do not wander off from your friends without letting anyone know where you are going and arrange a meeting point in case you do become separated.
- Always keep your mobile phone with you incase you get separated from your friends or need to call for help.