Man charged after female passenger allegedly sexually assaulted by ‘ride-share’ driver in Queensland

A woman has been allegedly sexually assaulted by a male driver who offered her a free lift in a car displaying ride-share signage, police have said.

A male driver offered the woman “a free lift to Caboolture, where (she) was staying” from Fortitude Valley in inner-suburban Brisbane about 5am on Saturday, February 15, Queensland Police said on Thursday.

The woman then got into a white Nissan X-trail SUV which “had a ride-share sign on display but was not operating as a ride-share car at the time,” Queensland Police said.

The woman was allegedly sexually assaulted before being dropped off on Fernando St in Burpengary, near the entrance to Symphony Crescent Park, about 5.30am to 5.50am.

“(She) immediately ran to a nearby man, who was walking his dog, to ask for help,” Queensland Police said.

The woman had asked the man to escort her to a safe location, which he did.

She was then helped by people known to her and reported the incident to police.

Police are now hoping to speak to that witness as investigations into the incident continue.

The witness is described as a Caucasian man aged between 65 and 75 who walked with a limp. He was wearing an orange shirt and was walking a small dog at the time.

Police also want to speak to anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage of Fernando St — particularly the area between Henderson Rd and Mirra St — which shows a white Nissan X-trail between 5.30am and 5.50am on February 15.

Two days after the alleged attack, detectives executed a search warrant at a Holland Park West address where a 38-year-old man was arrested and a white Nissan X-trail was seized.

The man was charged with three counts of sexual assault and one count each of rape and deprivation of liberty.

He will next face Brisbane Magistrates Court on April 4.