Illegal taxi driver guilty of raping student

An illegal minicab driver was facing a long sentence today after being convicted of raping a passenger.

Astor Murray, 49, was arrested six years after attacking the 22-year-old student when he was stopped by police for taxi touting.

His DNA was checked against unsolved crimes and matched to evidence in the rape in 2003, the Old Bailey heard.

Murray, of Enfield, north London, was found guilty of rape and indecent assault.

He was remanded in custody for three weeks for pre-sentence reports.

The court heard he was convicted last October of touting.

Murray claimed the sex had been consensual but admitted working for two years as an illegal taxi tout.

The student told the court she had been out with friends when she was approached by Murray at a bus stop in central London.

She said: "I was approached by a man who said he was a minicab driver. Her offered to take me home for £10."

But Murray pulled into an industrial estate, locked the doors and raped her.

In an impact statement, the woman said she was now afraid of going out alone and would take only black cabs.

She said: "I have not been able to have a relationship with a man since this happened."