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A Wirral man who posed as a taxi driver, kidnapped a woman and forced her to remove her clothing while he filmed her has been jailed for five years and six months.
According to Birkenhead News, Damian Watson, 36, of School Close in Liscard, was driving his white Mercedes van when he picked up the woman in the Anfield area of Liverpool in April this year.
The victim was out for the evening and had ordered an Uber to take her home. She believed Watson was her driver and got into his vehicle.
During her journey, the woman noticed the driver had stopped in an alleyway she didn't recognise. She asked Watson where they were, and he replied, "We're in Bootle now, love."
He began to drive again before stopping in another alleyway, where he then turned to the woman and demanded she take off her top.
The victim, feeling terrified, complied with his request, although she did continue to ask to be let out of the car, but Watson refused. Thinking quickly, the woman then pretended to hyperventilate, which caused Watson to panic, and he started driving again. The brave woman made a silent call to 999 and called her boyfriend.
Watson eventually let the victim go in Liverpool city centre. Police tracked the coordinates of where the 999 call was placed from and traced Watson to his home in Liscard, Wallasey.
At the address, officers found his phone and another device showing he'd filmed himself in the car. A second device was horrifyingly attached to the centre console, meaning Watson had filmed the victim throughout the ordeal.
Watson was arrested and charged with kidnapping, voyeurism, false imprisonment and causing a person to engage in sexual activity against their will. He initially denied all charges, but at a pre-trial hearing on 29 May 2026, he entered guilty pleas to kidnapping and causing a person to engage in sexual activity against their will. The two other charges will lie on file.
At Liverpool Crown Court on 26 June, Watson was sentenced. The court also ordered that his phones be seized and destroyed.
Amie Gouldson of the Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement: "Damian Watson is a predatory offender who exploited a woman's trust, posing as a taxi driver to carry out a planned and appalling sexual attack."
She added, "The victim in this case showed extraordinary courage and presence of mind, helping police and the Crown Prosecution Service bring a dangerous offender to justice and protect others from harm."
