Taxi driver '˜stopped to help teen girl' after Niddrie assault

SEX case cops are looking to trace a good samaritan taxi driver who stopped to help a distressed teenage girl.
Duddingston Park South. Picture: TSPLDuddingston Park South. Picture: TSPL
Duddingston Park South. Picture: TSPL

The mystery driver pulled over after spotting the clearly distressed victim in the middle of the night on a major Capital street.

He stopped to check the teenage girl was okay in Duddingston Park South at about 1am on Sunday.

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Police probing incident involving teenage girl in Niddrie
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Detective Inspector Lyle Shaw of the Public Protection Unit said: “We know that the driver was concerned enough to stop and check on the welfare of this female.

“And he is to be commended for that. However he may hold information which may assist in our investigation and I would urge him to contact us as soon as possible.”

Police are appealing for witnesses and the driver to come forward with details which may help them crack their ongoing investigation.

Officers want to speak to any passers-by and revellers making their way to and from the city centre after nights out.

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“At that time of the day, the Duddingston Park South area is busy with traffic coming to and from the city centre,” said DI Shaw.

“We’re asking anyone who was in the area, or passing through, to contact us, even if they think they saw nothing out of the ordinary.”

Police also advised any drivers in the area at the time to check footage on any in-car video recording equipment.

“Many drivers now use dash cams and they may have captured crucial evidence without even realising it,” said DI Shaw.

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“So I’d be keen to hear from anyone who may have footage from the Niddrie area early on Sunday morning.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed no paramedics were called.

Kevin Rafferty of Edinburgh Private Hire Drivers Association confirmed the police appeal has also been distributed to the organisation’s 1,800 members.

He said the city’s 1,300 black cab taxi drivers and 1,800 private hires amount to more than “3,000 pairs of eyes on the road” to help such investigations.

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“The police can’t solve everything themselves,” added Mr Rafferty, a former inspector and Capital cop of more than 30 years before becoming a private hire driver.

“This appeal has gone out and if the driver wants to be identified after their gallant efforts then hopefully they can find that person.

“One of the things we tell our members is that if they see something, to phone the police because they can’t always be there but you can be extra eyes and ears.”

Police confirmed a 46-year-old man has been charged with sexual offences in relation to the investigation.

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Anyone in the area at the time can contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference 317 of April 29 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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