Detectives search taxi records for rapist

Detectives are searching Hamilton taxi companies' records trying to identify a cabbie who allegedly drove a woman to a city park and raped her early yesterday.

Earlier reports said a second man was present at the toilets next to the children's playground at Claudelands Reserve where the attack took place.

But Detective Senior Sergeant Russell Le Prou, of Hamilton police, said it wasn't clear at what stage the man was present during the attack.

"Speaking to this man as a witness is a major focus of our investigation," he said.

Mr Le Prou said the woman had initially been unable to identify which company the taxi came from, but police hoped to reinterview her today.

She told police yesterday the driver appeared to be of Somali descent.

Police said the 22-year-old female student hailed a taxi from Hood St after a night out with friends.

Detective Sergeant Nigel Keall said the taxi driver drove the woman to the Claudelands Reserve on the corner of Boundary Rd and Heaphy Tce where he raped her.

He wouldn't say if the driver was armed. Mr Le Prou said the woman was "severely traumatised" by the incident.

She was found in a distressed state on Heaphy Tce by people who called police.

Mr Keall said police were appealing for witnesses who may have seen the victim, offender or taxi in the area about 3am yesterday.

Eight taxi companies operate in Hamilton as well as several shuttle service operators.

The manager of Hamilton Taxis and New Zealand Taxi Federation Waikato secretary Andy Collins said drivers were appalled by what happened to the young woman and keen to help police in any way.

"Since deregulation in 1989 we have seen a decline in the standard of service and vetting of drivers during a period of rapid expansion."

New Zealand now had 26,000 taxi drivers and "there's been a number of high-profile cases of problems," Mr Collins said.

- nzpa