Man who allegedly posed as rideshare driver charged with rape

A man who allegedly posed as a ride share driver when he picked up a woman outside a licensed venue in St Kilda has been charged with rape.

Generic picture of a Victoria Police car. Picture: Liam Beatty

A man who allegedly posed as a ride share driver before picking up an 18-year-old woman has been charged with rape.

Sexual Crimes Squad detectives allege that a woman was picked up outside a licensed venue in St Kilda by what she believed was a rideshare vehicle on May 5.

Police on Friday arrested a 48-year-old Bundoora man at his home and was quizzed by detectives.

Serious sexual charges were laid against him including rape and sexual assault.

The Bundoora man was due to face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday afternoon.

Detective Inspector Mark Burnett from the Sexual Crime Squad said every report of sexual assault would be chased by detectives.

“If you have been a victim of a sexual assault, our specially trained detectives are here to support you with sensitivity and anonymity,” he said.

“We want to remind the community that we take all types of sexual offending extremely seriously and will follow up all reports.”

Didi driver Abdouslam Alsharif was last year jailed for seven years after he pleaded guilty to raping and sexually assaulting a young woman after a night out in Fitzroy.

Alsharif’s victim thought she was catching a ride home after celebrating a friend’s birthday.

The woman, who was substance affected, got in by herself before Alsharif drove to a nearby street and assaulted her for 20 minutes.

CCTV and DNA later linked Alsharif to the crime.