Blackburn man charged as detectives investigate reports fake taxi driver subjected women to serious sexual assaults across Lancashire

The Rape and Serious Sexual Offending (RASSO) Team launched an investigation into the allegations which cover incidents in Darwen and Preston.

Three women reported they had been subjected to serious sexual assaults after getting into what they believed was a taxi.

Nazim Asmal, 33, of Balaclava Street, Blackburn, was charged with a number of offences following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service.

They include rape, sexual assault and committing an offence with the intention of committing a relevant sexual offence.

Asmal was remanded into custody after appearing before Blackburn magistrates on Tuesday morning (June 13).

He will appear before a crown court judge on July 11.

Det Insp Darren Irving, of East CID, said: “Although we have charged a man, our investigation is very much ongoing.

“If you have any information which you believe is relevant to this investigation I would ask that you call 101, quoting log 691 of June 13, 2023.”

Information can also be reported online at https://doitonline.lancashire.police.uk/.