‘I’m going to rape and kill you’ threats of road rage maniac

Jul 2 2009 by Amy Salter, Ormskirk Advertiser

A WOMAN feared for her life when she was the victim of a terrifying road rage ordeal in Ormskirk town centre on Monday morning.

The hairdresser from St Helen’s, who is too scared to give her name, was targeted by a male driver and woman passenger in a white transit van, who threatened to kill and rape her.

The shocking incident took place at 9.30am when the woman was driving with her 11-year-old nephew in the car.

The 36-year-old said: “I pulled out of the Total garage on Southport Road after getting petrol and could see a van but it was quite a bit away.

“The driver didn’t approach me straight away but suddenly he was at the back of my car and I could see him shouting to pull over. I put my hand up and continued down the road towards the Five Ways pub.”

The woman was followed onto Derby Street West and the driver continued swearing and threatened to rape her.

“He was shouting ‘I’m going to have you, you’re dead’ and putting his finger across his throat,” she said.

“He came to the side of me by The Railway pub (on Derby Street) and the woman passenger jumped out.”

The passenger plunged her hand through the woman’s open window and went for her.

She added: “I always have my car locked but my window was open and as I was putting it up her hand came in. I moved my head so she couldn’t reach me and I was so worried because my nephew was in the back. As soon as she took her hand out I drove off and put my foot down.”

The woman made off down St Helen’s Road and managed to lose the van, before pulling into the Stanley Gate pub car park to raise the alarm.

“I phoned my partner then dialled 999 because I thought they might come after me,” she said.

“I didn’t know if he had a knife, a gun or anything, I thought I was dead.”

The incident has had devastating effects on the woman. She said: “When I was going to work the following morning I saw a white van pull up and I was terrified.

“I just can’t get it out of my head. You can’t help thinking ‘what it?’ My trust has completely gone in people.”

It is thought the incident might have been sparked when the woman pulled out before the Transit van. The man is described as white, stocky, in his early 30s, with short black hair with a straight fringe and was wearing a light coloured T-shirt. The woman is described as white, slim, in her early 30s, 5ft 5ins, with blonde/red hair tied up.

Anyone with information can contact Ormskirk Police on 0845-1253545 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555111.