Sex attack sparks bogus taxi hunt

Police have appealed for witnesses

A woman from East Lothian has been sexually assaulted by a man posing as a taxi driver, who picked her up after a night out.

The 40-year-old woman, from Musselburgh, near Edinburgh, was trying to get home in the early hours of Sunday morning after a night out in Tranent.

She was waiting for a taxi outside the Brig pub in Edinburgh road when she was approached by the driver of a dark coloured car who asked her if she was waiting for a cab.

The woman got into the car, but by the time she realised that the man was not a taxi driver she had been driven to an isolated area of Prestonpans where she was sexually assaulted.

Police say the attack happened early on Sunday

The bogus cabbie drove off leaving his victim to walk home.

Police say they are trying to trace a dark coloured car - possibly and old style Cavalier, Sierra or Escort.

The attacker was white, in his late 20s, about five feet nine tall, with black wavy hair and a big nose.

He was smartly dressed in a dark long sleeved shirt and dress trousers and he had a Scottish accent.

A police spokeswoman said: "We would like to hear from anyone who may have been outside The Brig in the early hours of Sunday morning and may have seen this man picking up the woman.

"Obviously this was a very distressing incident for the victim and we would appeal to anyone who may be able to suggest who the culprit is to get in touch with us."