‘Uber’ driver charged over rape of 22-year-old British girl in Sydney

A 22-year-old girl was allegedly raped when she fell asleep in the back of a car.

After a night out in King’s Cross in Sydney, Australia – an area popular with backpackers – the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, left her friends to go home at 12.30am.

When she stopped to rest on her walk home, she was allegedly approached by Muhammad Naveed, 39, claiming to be an Uber driver. Naveed has been charged with having sexual intercourse without consent, and has since been bailed.

After directing him to her address in Vaucluse, CCTV footage is said to show Naveed pulling into a service station to buy condoms at around 1am. Police say he then pulled into a side street and raped her.

He asked the girl if she wanted to sit in the back seat. She claims she thought this was because he didn’t want her to fall asleep in the front of the taxi.

Naveed then helped the girl into the back where she again fell asleep. She woke up and allegedly found him on top of her.

He then got back into the front and drove her home where she contacted police. Naveed told police he thought the sex was consensual and offered the girl a lift home on his break as an Uber driver.

Uber say they are fully cooperating with police and will establish if Naveed was one of their workers.

An Uber spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with the victim and her family in this terrible situation. We will do everything we can to work with the police to help with their investigation.”