Taxi Driver Online

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/leicester-taxi-driver-touched-passenger-s-breast-court-told/story-30239717-detail/story.html

A young woman told a jury that a taxi driver indecently touched her breast after helping her out of his cab.

The 22-year-old said that after finishing work at a Leicester city centre nightclub, she got into Zahid Shah's hackney cab in Belvoir Street, and was taken on a 10 minute journey home.

Giving evidence from behind a screen at the city's crown court, she said that she was unable to open the rear sliding door of the people carrier vehicle.

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She said the driver got out to open her passenger door and gave her a hug on the pavement.

The woman told the jury: "I told him to get off me, it wasn't something I was expecting.

"He asked to kiss me and I said 'no'.

"He reached out and grabbed my breast.

"It was uncomfortable, I said 'get off me'.

"I may have pushed him off, but I can't remember."

She took a photograph of the licence plate on her mobile phone as he drove off.

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After going home and telling her flatmate about the alleged incident, she then called the police.

Her call to the police was played in court. In it, she stated: "I just got sexually harassed by a taxi driver.

"I just finished work and he was taking me home. He opened the door and helped me out.

"He tried to kiss me…he grabbed my boob…I don't really know how to deal with this."




The case is being heard at Leicester Crown Court

Under cross-examination she said she had three alcoholic drinks that evening, probably vodka.

It was suggested by defence counsel she had insufficient money to pay a £7.10 fare - which she denied.

She told the police at the time she paid the full fare of £6.70.

She denied a defence suggestion she only paid the defendant £6, or that they argued before he let her off with a hug when he opened the passenger door.

Shah (28), of Evington Park Road, Leicester, denies sexual assault by touching her breast, on October 3, 2015.

Giving evidence in his defence, he said he worked as a taxi driver for two years before the alleged incident.

He said: "I didn't do it, she's lying."

He said only hugged her to "calm down" the argument over the fare, as she was "aggressive".

Shah said he did not ask for a kiss and never touched her breast.

However, in his first police interview, Shah denied even hugging the woman.

Shah told the jury he initially denied the hug because he felt "scared", as he had never been to a police station before – even though he was later shown CCTV footage which revealed there was a hug.

He told the jury: "I was just scared and said some things, because I'm a family man.

"I thought if my wife finds out about what's alleged she might leave me."

In his second police interview, he had accepted there was a hug, saying it was when he told her not to worry about the money, but denied asking for a kiss or sexual touching.

Tony Stanford, prosecuting, asked in cross-examination: "You were strangers…can you think of any reason why she'd lie to get you into trouble?"

Shah said: "Because I asked for the fare a few times."

Mr Stanford said: "She's made this up over £1.10?"

Shah replied: "I don't know about that, she would know."

Deputy Circuit Judge Michael Stokes QC said it was up to the jury to decide if the CCTV footage showed the woman pulling away from the defendant before she walked off.

The prosecution alleged Shah had changed his story to fit the CCTV evidence.

The defence argued the complainant's evidence in court was unclear, and that she could have been "more specific" when recalling whether it was one or two breasts that had been grabbed.

The trial continues.

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Leicester taxi driver Zahid Shah who grabbed breast of female passenger is jailed

Married father Zahid Shah has been jailed for six months

A taxi driver who grabbed the breast of a young woman passenger has been jailed for six months.

Married father, Zahid Shah, denied sexually assaulting the 22-year-old in the early hours of the morning, after helping her out of the cab.

He was convicted unanimously by a jury of eight men and four women at Leicester Crown Court.

Deputy Judge Michael Stokes QC, said: "Women have to know if they're getting into a taxi in this city, or any other city, they will be safe and not subjected to an indecent assault, no matter how brief an incident it may be.

"Any taxi driver who commits an offence in these circumstances must know they will lose their liberty."

'Women have the right to think they won't be assaulted by a taxi driver'

He was convicted unanimously by a jury of eight men and four women at Leicester Crown Court

He told Shah (28), of Evington Park Road, Leicester: "You've been convicted by the jury of sexual assaulting a young woman when you were working as a licenced taxi driver in this city, in October 2015.

"She got into your cab in the early hours and was driven by you to the street where she lived.

"The jury have accepted her evidence; you sexually assaulted her by putting your hand on her breast.

"Women have the right to think they won't be assaulted by a taxi driver.

"I accept it was a very brief incident but nonetheless it remains serious.

"You could have pleaded guilty many months ago and not have put this complainant through having to give evidence.

"I understand custody will have an economical and an emotional effect upon your family."

Shah's taxi licence, which was suspended following his arrest, will now be revoked.

He has since been working as a pizza delivery driver.

During the trial, Tony Stanford, prosecuting, said that after finishing work the victim got into the back of the defendant's hackney cab, a people carrier, on Belvoir Street, at 3.15am.

After the 10 minute journey to her home, she was unable to open the sliding passenger door and the defendant got out to assist, before hugging her on the pavement.

He asked for a kiss, which she refused and he then grabbed one of her breasts.

CCTV footage captured the event, albeit from a distance, but the victim can be seen suddenly pulling away from the defendant and walking down the street.

She had the presence of mind to take a photograph of his registration number as he drove away.

Shah told the jury, when he gave evidence, he hugged the victim because they had argued about the fare in the taxi moments earlier and he wanted to "calm her."

The victim, however, said there was no dispute over the fare.

Shah denied asking for a kiss or touching her breast.

'I don't know how to deal with this'

In her call to the police, about 10 minutes after the assault, the victim was recorded saying: "I just got sexually harassed by a taxi driver.

"I just finished work and he was taking me home, he opened the door and helped me out.

"He tried to kiss me…he grabbed my boob…I don't really know how to deal with this."

After the verdict the judge was handed a character reference from the defendant's wife, describing him as a "loyal" husband.

The judge inquired whether she was aware that her husband was given a police caution in February this year for soliciting a prostitute and was told the wife was in court and had attended the trial.

Cynthia McFarlane, mitigating before sentence, said: "Even on the Crown's case it's at the lower end of the sexual assault scale.

"Your Honour should take into account the offence was in 2015 and he has no previous convictions, although he has one caution.
"He has a wife and children.

"He has suffered by having his taxi licence suspended and having to do a less well paid job; he's the sole provider for the family.

"He knows he'll never be able to work as a taxi driver again."

The defendant will have to enlist on a sex offenders' register for seven years.

source: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/leice ... story.html

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

You don't hug single ladies when dropping them off at night.

Anyone who does is either a perv or a numpty, possibly both.

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IDFIMH