Taxi Driver Online

Suffolk Free Press

June 21, 2007

Warning for women over taxi sex assault

A mother whose teenage daughter was sexually assaulted by a driver after getting into the front seat of a cab is imploring young girls to always sit in the back of hired cars or taxis.

Her 19-year-old daughter was left badly shaken by the ordeal which happened after she booked a ride home from her job at a Sudbury shop.

The driver, Richard Mills, 50, of De Greys Close, Great Cornard, has pleaded guilty to indecent assault and is due to be sentenced on July 9 at Ipswich Crown Court.

The girl's mother said: "The last thing we want to do is to tarnish all cab drivers because of what happened. "But we really want to do all we can to make sure other girls don't suffer the same kind of ordeal.

"What was done to my daughter wouldn't have happened if she had been sitting in the back seat. "And in a way, if passengers are in the back, it could also help protect drivers from any false accusations."

The assault, which took place at around 6pm on a Saturday evening last December, happened during the short journey to the girl's home.

Her mother said: "My daughter, who was 18 at the time, was very upset and frightened. She couldn't stop thinking about it for weeks.

"I didn't realise she was in the habit of sitting in the front seat of cabs - she has told me her friends do the same thing. I'd always assumed she sat in the back because that is what my generation did when we were younger."

Mother and daughter also urged girls who suffered any kind of sexual assault to report it to the police.

The plea was backed by Sudbury's police chief, Insp Tristan Pepper. "I know it's not easy because they have to relive it all again telling a police officer what happened, then possibly go to court. "But I would definitely support the call to report any assault to us."

Insp Pepper also stressed standard advice that lone women should never put themselves in a position where their safety could be compromised. They should also always tell someone where they were going, and keep a mobile phone with them, he added.
_________________________________

On this occassion the driver admitted the assault, but what happens when there is denial?

Who, giving lack of witnesses, should be believed? The girl, young woman, because she is a girl, or the driver because s/he is CRB checked.

Wrongly, I suggest, that whenever possible girls shouldn't travel alone, there should be at least two, both should have phones and both should be armed with an appropriate spray. An attacker need not be a stranger so there is a need to always be alert.
Sadly we live in an age where the unexpected happens more frequently than any of us would like to admit and travelling with a companion may well avoid unpleasantness such as this.

I say "Wrongly, I suggest," because young people, men and women, should be able to travel anywhere at any time in any society without the fear of assault being in their minds, but the fact is that they can't.
And, while I totally agree with the mother's advice to sit in the back seat of a cab, I have to say that I feel more is needed (As stated above). There are too many depraved people out there just as there are too many who depend on violence for a "buzz". These behaviours and drives are most often hidden so are hard to identify and change so the best that can be done presently is to urge young people to protect themselves at all times by seeking the company of a companion.

The girl's mother seems incredibly supportive and realistic and I hope this helps get her daughter over the assault asap.

_________________
The Seventh Saint

If a court is 75% plus certain the bloke was guilty, then that's good enough for a conviction. But if there's not enough evidence then that's the way it is.

Of course a civil action only needs the court to be 50.00001% plus certain.

_________________
IDFIMH

I would have put "beyond all reasonable doubt" higher than 75 %.

It sounds like a great reason to have a sound and vision camera in your cab.

_________________
Our safety is Paramount

For what it's worth so would have I.

_________________
IDFIMH

You know that is such an excellent Idea. Is there any particular lobby group or trade council we could put this to to propose it at a national level or is it just left to local authorities?
Perhaps womens action groups?
Protection for driver and passenger alike, of course the recordings would have to be sealed from the driver/assailaint to maintain it's integrity for the courts.
Excellent,

_________________
The Seventh Saint