A Mexico City taxi driver who kidnapped and raped several of his female passengers was sentenced to 163 years in prison, authorities said.
Valentin Mendez Cortes raped two passengers and kidnapped and sexually abused three other women, the capital District Attorney's Office said in a communique.
Sexual assaults in taxis and armed robberies on public buses are common occurrences in the Mexican capital.
Mendez was arrested last May as he was trying to perpetrate an attack on another female passenger in the neighbourhood of San Pedro Martir.
He carried out his attacks between 6 and 6.30 am. The passengers told him their destination but the taxi driver went off the route to isolated locations, where he parked, climbed over the seat into the passenger section of the vehicle and attacked the women.
In one instance, in April 2009, the driver raped a woman and during the attack "he told the victim that he knew he was going to spend 20 years in jail for what he was doing, but he didn't care", said the DA office.
However, on May 18, 2009, a woman managed to escape from the taxi after struggling with Mendez and asked police in a patrol car who were passing through the area for help. The officers captured the rapist.
{{/usCountry}}However, on May 18, 2009, a woman managed to escape from the taxi after struggling with Mendez and asked police in a patrol car who were passing through the area for help. The officers captured the rapist.
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