Taxi driver accused of schoolgirl sex attacks
8:20am Wednesday 14th April 2010
A taxi driver carried out more than 47 sex attacks on six schoolgirls over a 25-year period, a jury was told yesterday.
David Webb, who was employed by Herefordshire Council ferrying children to school, began offending in 1980 and made threats to ensure the victims kept silent, it was alleged.
Police were alerted in 2008 when one complainant cut her wrists, said Mary Loram, prosecuting. An investigation was begun but Webb did not disclose he was a suspect when quizzed by the council last year about a complaint arising from his job. Instead, he admitted offering two girls £5 to show him their breasts, the jury heard.
Miss Loram said it gave “a glimpse” of a man who thought such behaviour with children was acceptable. Webb, aged 52, of Bennet Mead, Hereford, denies three counts of rape, two of attempted rape, 24 of indecent assault, 17 of indecency with a child and one of sexual assault.
Worcester Crown Court heard that the 47 charges were specimen counts of repetitive behaviour. If all the perverted acts alleged were before the jury, the charge sheet “would be a book,” said Miss Loram.
She detailed behaviour including forced sex, touching and being made to carry out indecent acts on Webb. He warned victims that if they revealed being molested they would be blamed for it or would be taken away from their parents, said Miss Loram.
At the time they were aged between five and 13, but were now adults except one who was still a teenager.
In June 2008 a teenager became distressed at a party and then slashed her wrists before being interviewed by police.
Webb was arrested in July 2009. He claimed he was the victim of lies. Two girls were motivated by money and a third invented claims after being caught stealing, he insisted. But Miss Loram said some victims had tried to reveal the truth to other people in the 1990s “but sadly nothing was done about it”.
She said the failure was due to some parents, a school and social services.
She said: “At different times and at different ages many have tried to tell their story.
“That doesn’t fit the theory that this is a conspiracy against the defendant.” The trial continues.
Source; http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/809 ... x_attacks/
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