Man sentenced to six years for kidnapping and sexual assault

A man who lured a woman into his vehicle by pretending to be a taxi driver before locking the doors and launching a sexual assault on his victim has been jailed.

45-year-old Andras Jancso, from Llanelli, has been sentenced to six years in prison at Swansea Crown Court today (Friday 12^th January 2024) for kidnapping and sexual assault.

In the early hours of Sunday 2^nd July 2023, the victim was looking to return home after a night out in Swansea with friends. She entered what she believed to be a taxi – the vehicle was parked in a taxi rank area used by licensed taxi drivers – and requested to be taken to her home address.

However, the driver of the vehicle, Andras Jancso, was merely impersonating a taxi driver. After altering from the victim’s expected route back to her home address, he locked the doors to prevent her escape and sexually assaulted her.

The victim used her mobile phone to call and share her location with a friend, as well as to take video from the front passenger seat of the vehicle – later used to help identify her attacker. After rebuffing Jancso’s unwanted advances, she eventually convinced him to drop her off a distance away from her home address, so that he did not find out where she lived.

Detective Constable Abi Doxsey, who led the investigation, said:

“In this case we must pay tribute to the bravery of the victim. She was exceptionally brave during trial – attending in person with no special measures – and assisted in identifying her attacker, who was a stranger to her.

“Had it not been for her instinct at the time of the offence, we would not have been able to identify the perpetrator. She deserves huge praise for what she has accomplished in ensuring that justice has been served on Andras Jancso.

“An incredibly dangerous person is now rightfully off our streets.”