MARK VAUGHAN FROM HANDBRIDGE CAUGHT IN CHILLING SEXUAL ASSAULT IN CHESTER AND BROUGHTON

In a disturbing incident that has shocked the local community, Mark Vaughan, a resident of Handbridge, Chester, was convicted of posing as a taxi driver to lure a young woman into a trap that led to a serious sexual assault. The incident unfolded in the early hours of Saturday, September 6, last year, and the details reveal a calculated attempt by Vaughan to deceive and harm an innocent victim.

According to court records, Vaughan, aged 36 and a married father of three, was seen cruising through Chester city centre in his vehicle, ostensibly looking for passengers. His actions took a sinister turn when he stopped and approached a 20-year-old woman who was leaving a nightclub with two friends. Believing he was a legitimate taxi driver, she entered his car, unaware of his true intentions.

The young woman was driven through Saltney and Broughton, during which Vaughan stopped in a lay-by near The Old Warren, close to Broughton. Without warning, Vaughan suddenly moved from his seat and pounced on her, initiating a brutal assault. He banged her head against the car window, forcibly kissed her, and touched her breasts. Despite her efforts to resist, she fought back fiercely, managing to bite Vaughan’s tongue and even bite off the tip in a desperate act of self-defense.

During the struggle, Vaughan attempted to take her mobile phone, which she fought to retain. The victim also scratched him in her attempt to escape. Vaughan’s DNA was recovered from beneath her fingernails, confirming her account of the struggle. He then threatened her, claiming he had a gun, and forcibly took her phone from her hand before fleeing the scene and leaving her in a muddy lay-by.

The victim was later found by local residents who raised the alarm, and she was taken in by nearby residents who provided assistance. CCTV footage from Chester captured Vaughan stopping alongside her before the assault, and he was subsequently arrested after he was hospitalized due to an infected tongue sustained during the attack.

During police interviews, Vaughan admitted to being in Chester city centre “cruising for birds,” initially claiming he had simply offered her a lift and that she had initiated the events. However, the evidence against him was overwhelming, including DNA evidence and witness accounts.

Vaughan pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual assault. At Mold Crown Court, Judge John Rogers QC sentenced him to two and a half years in prison. The judge emphasized that Vaughan’s deception—posing as a taxi driver—was a key element of the crime. He also ordered Vaughan to register as a sex offender for life.

Judge Rogers acknowledged Vaughan’s guilty plea, his employment record, his family commitments, and the fact that he had no prior criminal history, which influenced his decision to impose a relatively lenient sentence. Nonetheless, he stressed the severity of the crime and the trauma inflicted on the victim, describing the experience as terrifying and deeply distressing for her.