TAXI DRIVER JAILED FOR RAPING PASSENGER AFTER ABERYSTWYTH NIGHT OUT
A taxi driver who raped a passenger after taking her home from a night out in Aberystwyth has been jailed for nine years.Dominc Dalton, 30, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Wednesday, February 18, after a jury unanimously convicted him of rape following a five‑day trial last month.
The court heard the victim and a friend had been on a night out in Aberystwyth in the early hours of Sunday, February 25, 2024, when they got into Dalton’s taxi.
Believing him to be a trusted driver, the victim expected to be taken home safely.
Dalton dropped the friend off first before telling the victim the taxi meter had stopped recording the journey.
During the drive, she drifted in and out of sleep.
When they reached her address, Dalton woke her, helped her inside and guided her to her bedroom, where she fell asleep again.
She later woke to find him raping her.
In a desperate attempt to make him leave, she ran to the kitchen and armed herself with a knife, shouting at him to get out.
When he refused, she fled the house barefoot, slashing the taxi’s tyres as she escaped.
She reached a nearby property and bravely contacted police.
Dalton drove away before flagging down another taxi, claiming he had suffered a blowout.
He later returned the victim’s mobile phone, which he had taken with him, but saw police in the area and left.
He then used his own phone to search online for terms including “have you been falsely accused of rape?” and “perverting the course of justice”.
He was arrested the same day and charged following a detailed investigation by Dyfed‑Powys Police.
Dalton, of Pencader, denied rape, claiming the encounter was consensual, but the jury took less than two hours to find him guilty on January 17.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Mathew Nelson praised the victim’s courage in reporting what happened.
“I sincerely commend the victim’s bravery and resilience,” he said.
“Engaging with the Criminal Justice System as the victim has in this case takes an act of immense courage that deserves profound respect.
“By standing up and reporting Dalton, the victim has protected other members of the community too.
“As a taxi driver, Dalton’s job was to ensure his passengers got home safely.
He abused that position, exploited the victim’s vulnerability and then lied about his actions.
“I hope this conviction and sentencing brings some closure to the victim and gives confidence to others that their voices will be heard.”
