SEX OFFENDER RICARDAS MIKUCKIS FROM NEWPORT SENTENCED FOR ASSAULT IN CARDIFF
In May 2021, a sex offender described as 'calculated and predatory' was convicted of a serious crime in Cardiff.Ricardas Mikuckis, a 33-year-old from Newport, Wales, pretended to be a taxi driver to lure a teenage girl and sexually assault her in his car.
The incident occurred after Mikuckis targeted his then-18-year-old victim on August 29, 2019.
The young woman, whose name is protected for legal reasons, was attempting to hail a cab home from Cardiff city centre when Mikuckis approached her.
CCTV footage showed Mikuckis in his red Ford Kuga parked on Greyfriars Road shortly before she left a nightclub and tried to get a taxi.
The court learned that Mikuckis watched her talk to a real taxi driver, who lent her his phone to call for a fare.
After she walked away, Mikuckis pulled up next to her, seemingly after observing the situation, and she believed he was a licensed cabbie.
She got into his vehicle.
As they neared Barry, the victim became increasingly uneasy.
Mikuckis unexpectedly turned off the A4231 Barry Docks Link Road into a remote lane.
The victim remarked that the driver was going the wrong way.
Mikuckis then stopped the car, calmly stepped out, locked the doors, and smoked a cigarette.
He later returned to the vehicle and sexually assaulted the woman by kissing and touching her.
Fortunately, she managed to fight him off and flee.
Distressed, she flagged down a passing motorist and explained she had been attacked.
Authorities were alerted, and investigators traced Mikuckis using CCTV, ANPR technology, and a cigarette butt recovered from the scene, which contained his DNA.
Although Mikuckis denied the sexual assault, he was convicted on March 11 and sentenced to 15 months in prison for his crimes.
