A 41-year-old man in Brisbane has been charged with four counts of sexual assault and a further count of deprivation of liberty, after allegedly posing as an Uber driver and picking up two women in the city’s Fortitude Valley area.
Queensland Police allege that the man sexually assaulted a 23-year-old woman on Saturday, September 8 and a 25-year-old woman on Sunday, September 16. Both were picked up in a black SUV and were told by the man that he was their driver.
According to ABC News reports, one of the women asked him why her app had not registered his car, and he told her that it was because her booking had been “cancelled” and she would therefore be required to pay him in cash.
The man allegedly complained to both women that he had “trouble meeting people”, and it is further claimed that he tried to “kiss and hug” one of the women after one of the alleged assaults, and asked the other to pay $30 for her trip.
It is unknown at this stage whether the man targeted any other women in the same way. Police have released an image of a black 2007 Land Rover Freelander, similar to the one in the alleged attacks, and have asked anyone with information to come forward.
The man, from the suburb of Carindale, appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday morning, where he was remanded in custody until his next appearance on November 14.
Is is understood at this stage that the man was not and had not been an actual Uber driver at any point, and no connection has yet been found between him and any other legitimate ride-sharing app.
