A man has been sentenced to five years and six months in prison for posing as a taxi driver, kidnapping a woman, and coercing her to expose herself. Damian Watson, 36, targeted a woman outside Anfield Stadium in Liverpool by pretending to be her Uber driver. Once inside his white Mercedes van, he locked the doors and demanded that she reveal her breasts, holding her against her will for about half an hour.

During the ordeal, the victim realized they were in a secluded area she did not recognize and received a notification that her Uber ride had been canceled. Watson callously informed her they were in Bootle, not the city center as she had requested. Despite her pleas to be let out, Watson aggressively demanded she expose herself several times, causing the terrified woman to comply out of fear for her safety.

Watson’s actions were premeditated, as he deliberately sought out a vulnerable lone female for his disturbing intentions. Despite claiming innocence during questioning, Watson admitted to kidnapping and engaging in non-consensual sexual activity.

In sentencing, Recorder Anna Pope KC emphasized the calculated nature of Watson’s crime and the immense fear and distress he caused his victim. She praised the woman for her bravery and condemned Watson’s predatory behavior. In addition to his prison sentence, Watson was also given a sexual harm prevention order and will be listed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.