A young woman who caught a minicab in Hackney was driven to a remote part of Essex and sexually assaulted. The 25-year-old suffered the horrifying ordeal after picking up the cab in the early hours of Saturday...

A young woman who caught a minicab in Hackney was driven to a remote part of Essex and sexually assaulted.

The 25-year-old suffered the horrifying ordeal after picking up the cab in the early hours of Saturday.

The woman was found bare-footed by the roadside after escaping her attacker near the M25 motorway.

Police officers say they do not know whether the minicab the woman got into was licensed.

The woman hailed the car in central Hackney shortly after midnight on Friday.

She asked to go to south London - but was driven 14 miles to Waltham Abbey in Essex and attacked.

Passers-by found her by the roadside along the A121 between Shernbroke Road and the M25.

Her attacker is described as a white man in his 30s, white, of slim build and with short brown hair.

A spokesman for Essex Police urged anyone with information about the assault to contact them.

He said: "The woman managed to get out of the car and was found without shoes by the side of the road.

"We are appealing for anyone who saw a suspicious vehicle on the A121 to get in touch."

Last year, an average of seven women a month were sexually assaulted in London after getting into rogue cabs.

Women are advised to use the CABWISE service by texting the word HOME to 60835.

The numbers of one taxi and two licensed minicabs that serve the area will be sent to their phone.

Witnesses should call Waltham Abbey CID on 0300 333 4444, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.