Deception Unveiled: False Uber Driver Accuses Innocent Victims
A young woman recounted the harrowing experience of being trapped in a vehicle with a man who sexually assaulted her, believing she was getting into an Uber to meet friends.
“Being in that car that night, it felt like it was a weapon,” expressed the woman, whose identity cannot be disclosed, in a statement to Melbourne’s County Court.
She described the feeling of powerlessness as she had no control over where the vehicle was taking her, how fast it was going, or the actions of the driver.
The woman was shocked to learn that the same man had assaulted two other women in similar circumstances.
Francesco De Luise, aged 60, confessed to sexually assaulting three different women by pretending to be an Uber driver outside Melbourne hotspots between 2021 and 2022.
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De Luise pleaded guilty to rape, sexual assault, and sexual activity with another person.
Francesco De Luise, who had been out on bail since December 2022, was taken into custody on March 12 pending his sentencing later this week.
His series of attacks started in January 2021 when he picked up his first victim outside a Melbourne club.
Despite the woman’s plea to stop, De Luise persistently touched her while she felt the urge to vomit.
The assailant’s behavior escalated as he went on to target two more women in June and September 2022.
One woman was waiting for an Uber outside Sidney Myer Music Bowl, and the other was on her way home to her partner’s place in Richmond.
De Luise’s actions elicited fear and trauma among his victims, leaving long-lasting emotional scars.
Judge John Smallwood castigated De Luise for his deceitful statements and victim-blaming behavior during the investigation.
As he faces a potential 25-year prison sentence, De Luise’s sentencing is scheduled for March 14, with his wife and son present in court to offer support.
