Death penalty confirmed for Uber driver who killed Brit

An Uber driver found guilty of the brutal sexual assault and murder of a UK government worker was today confirmed her death sentence for her murder.

Rebecca Dykes, who worked for the Department for International Development, was found dead next to a road in Beirut five years ago today, after disappearing after a “girls’ night out” in the Lebanese capital.

Tariq Houshieh was found guilty of assaulting Ms Dykes and then strangling her with the cord from his hoodie before disposing of her body in 2019.

Tariq Houshieh, an Uber driver who sexually assaulted and then strangled a British government worker in 2017, today saw his death sentence upheld

He was sentenced to death but appealed, an appeal judges are today rejecting.

However, he is unlikely to face the death penalty as Lebanon has a de facto moratorium on executions. None have been conducted since 2004.

Houshieh had worked as a taxi driver, although he had a criminal record and had been arrested twice in the past for alleged harassment and theft.

After the incident, the Lebanese government urged people to avoid using the company, with a minister calling it unsafe.

The attack shocked the expat community in Lebanon, where such attacks are rare and foreigners generally feel safe.

“We hope this judgment will bring closure to Becky’s family, to the many people around the world who loved Becky, and to all those whose lives she has touched through her humanitarian work in Lebanon and elsewhere,” said the British Embassy in Beirut.

Ms Dykes was driving home from a night out with friends in Beirut when Houshieh, her driver, attacked and murdered her before disposing of her body

Dykes’ family said in a separate statement released by Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency that the final ruling followed multiple delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, court workers’ strikes and other issues.

The final verdict is “an opportunity to commemorate Rebecca as a young woman who dedicated her short life to the victims of war and hardship,” the statement said.

“Her family had never seen Rebecca so motivated and happy as during her stay in Lebanon.”

After her death, Dykes’ family and friends set up a foundation in her name, “dedicated to creating stable communities in Lebanon.”