Rebecca Dykes, 30, hadvert been working for the Division for Worldwide Enchancment since January 2017, serving to Lebanon To Deal with refugees from the wrestle in Syria
Rebecca Dykes was raped by her Uber driver who strangled her with a twine from his hoodie, and dumped her physique by the facet of the roadvert
Picture: PA)
A woman was raped and brutally homicideed by an Uber driver the placeas working abroadvert, an inquest has heard.
Rebecca Dykes, 30, from London, hadvert been working for the Division for Worldwide Enchancment serving to Lebanon To Deal with refugees from the wrestle in Syria.
She hadvert been working there since January 2017 when one Evening time Rebecca was Coming again from An night out Inside the Gemmightzeh district of Beirut.
Rebecca was picked up by Uber driver Tariq Houshieh in December 2017.
She was raped by the cab driver, strangled her with a twine from his hoodie, and dumped her physique by the facet of the roadvert.
MyLondon reported Tariq was handed a demise sentence in 2019 – however is interesting to have it commuted.
Tariq was working as a taxi driver – regardless of having a felony retwine and twice being arrested for alleged harassment and theft, Based mostly on Agence-France Presse.
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Rebecca hadvert been working for the Division for Worldwide Enchancment since January 2017
Picture:
PA)
At a a lot delayed inquest into her demise On the Inner South London Coroner’s courtroom in Southwrestlek on Wednesday, senior coroner Andrew Harrison quizzed British embassy in Beirut submit safety officer Alyson King Regarding The safety preparations in place as he confacetred The need for a prevention of future demises report.
Alyson famous staff have a safety short-term on arrival, carry private alarms, have month-to-month safety conferences, common workshops, And women’s solely durations.
In 2017 staff have been advertditionally suggested to solely use three vetted taxi corporations For private journey – this meant somefactor carried out outfacet of the safe preparations madverte for work.
These three corporations have been coated Inside The safety short-term.
The hospital the place British embassy worker Rebecca Dykes’ physique is believed to have been transferred in Roumieh Village, shut to Beirut, Lebano
Picture:
X00013)
But she advertmitted: “It acquired here to mild afterwrestleds, many staff have been using completely different taxi corporations As quickly as they found them useful”.
Coroner Harrison pressed her on The disadvertvantage, and said: “That suggested the short-term was inadvertequate or not accepted as needed…Were you gladvert with the advertequacy of the short-terming?”
Alyson said “sure” however advertded they proceed to replace the short-terming.
Coroner Harrison proceedd the grilling by asking how her response tallied with “in depth use of none accredited taxi corporations In the meantime”.
Alyson said she was not in submit On the time and Should look at meeting retwines to see if The disadvertvantage was launched up.
Coroner Harrison suggested Rebecca’s household would “deeply respect” An reply and inspired them to search the advertvice of the Overseas & Commonwealth Office after the listening to.
Overseas, Commonwealth & Enchancment Office h eadvert of safety Bharat Joshi said a particular safety go to after Rebecca’s demise concluded the “safety tradition was very very strong”.
Baffled by the declare, coroner Harrison requested: “If The safety tradition was so strong why have been so many staff using unregistered taxi providers?”
Joshi responded, telling the courtroom many staff “Decide to not Adjust to that suggestion”.
He advertditionally famous “Many people hadvert been using Uber throughout Lebanon and there hadvert by no means been a critical incident”.
He defined this was Due to “familiarity” of Uber as A worldwide mannequin and comfort.
He recalled complaints by staff using the three vetted cab corporations they Desired to attend “15-20 minutes”.
Rebecca’s sister requested the witnesses To elucidate if her homicide hadvert led Uber to be “positively not useful” for embassy staff.
King responded by explaining The suggestion hadvert modified To mirror Lebanese authorities suggestion telling people to maintain away from The agency.
In an emotional speech by way of video hyperlink, Rebecca’s mum Jane Houng said: “I simply hope that no mother or father has to Bear what We now have Wanted to Bear.
“One factor that pained me very a lot was that now embassy staff put on private alarms.
“I really feel if Rebecca hadvert been sporting A private alarm at That time restrict it in all probability would have saved her life.
“As quickly as I went to Lebanon shortly after her demise and sat Across the desk with Rebecca’s pals and colleagues All of them said they used Uber.
“It was widespstudy place For private journey That people used Uber taxis.”
Making his conclusion of illegal killing, coroner Harrison summed up the “deeply tragic” listening to and said There have been “gaps in understanding” of The safety preparations On the time.
But, he famous “good steps have been taken” Inside the 5 years since and it was “a matter for safety” as “nofactor in life is hazard free”.
He advertded: “The hazards are acknowledged and the steps have been taken.”
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Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/woman-30-brutally-raped-murdered-27662386