'Dangerous sexual predator' targeted lone women

A man who targeted vulnerable women on nights out has been convicted of rape and sexual assault.

Rashid Boachie, 44, raped a woman who mistook him for a cab driver and got into his car in Beeston, Leeds, in 2021. He sexually assaulted another woman after she became separated from her friends in August 2025.

At Leeds Crown Court on Thursday, Boachie was found guilty of rape and sexual assault and was told he would be sentenced on 25 March.

Det Insp Jodie Hayes, of West Yorkshire Police's homicide and major inquiry team, said: "He is a dangerous sexual predator who will hopefully now be behind bars for a long time."

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According to police, the offence on 29 August 2021 was investigated but no suspect could be identified at the time.

The victim in that case had been drinking with friends, and a number of taxis had been called to take them into the city centre.

The victim had stepped away from her friends for a short period of time and mistakenly got into Boachie's car thinking it was a cab.

Instead of taking her home as requested, Boachie took her to an empty car park and raped her.

While in the car, the victim was able to send a short video message in which she could be heard saying "help me".

Four years later, in the early hours of 10 August last year, Boachie targeted a woman who had become separated from her friends while on a night out in Leeds.

CCTV showed him talking with the victim before taking her to an alleyway behind the Travelodge hotel on Blayds Yard, where he sexually assaulted her.

Hotel staff heard the woman's cries for help and intervened, causing Boachie to walk away.

He was identified after a media appeal and arrested on 14 August.

As part of his arrest, DNA samples were taken which also linked him to the 2021 offence.

Hayes said: "In both cases, Boachie has deliberately preyed on heavily intoxicated, vulnerable women who have become separated from their friends.

"The victims have both shown immense courage throughout, and I am sorry that despite the evidence against him, Boachie refused to admit what he had done, resulting in them having to go through the trial process."

Hayes said there was potential Boachie had committed other crimes during the four-year period and urged anyone who has been a victim of an offence to report it to police.

"Cases like this are never fully closed, we will always act on any new evidence to get justice for victims," she said.

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