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Bristol cabbie accused of sex assaults on disabled passengers
A taxi driver sexually abused three disabled women and told them it was their secret, a jury heard.
Reginald White, known as "Taxi Man John" was operating Sharan Taxis in Bristol when he preyed on the three women, all of whom have cerebral palsy, Bristol Crown Court was told.
The 56-year-old, of Sycamore Drive, Patchway, denies eight alleged sexual assaults on one woman, three on another and one on a third.
None of the victims, who all use wheelchairs and were transported in a specially-adapted cab by White, can be named for legal reasons.
The first complainant said White was driving her home when he stopped the taxi in a wood and she thought it had broken down.
The woman told the court White came round to the back and asked her if there was anyone around.
She said he started to touch her inappropriately and she added: "Afterwards he said: 'It's our secret, you must tell no one.'
The woman said that she had been scared.
She said the next day White drove her again and this time he asked her if she wanted him to come into her room at her accommodation.
Although she said no, she said White invited himself in, locked the door and drew down the blind before molesting her again, dropping his clothing and forcing her to touch him improperly.
The woman said it was not until later that she told someone about what happened.
She said: "At the time, I was scared to tell them. I knew I had to do something, so I told them.
"That's when we called the police, that's when I told the police what happened, and that's when I got the social worker involved.
"This shouldn't happen and I want this man to be dealt with."
When Adam Vaitilingam, defending, cross-examined the woman, at first she said the taxi driver had not touched her sexually.
She went on to say, however, that she had been angry when White had used the phrase "How's it hanging?" to her, and what she reported was the truth.
When Robert Davies, prosecuting, asked her if her accusations were true, she said they were and she said the abuse made her feel "horrible and uncomfortable".
She told the jury: "All those things happened.
"I didn't tell anybody because I was scared what people might say.
"I thought they might have said they didn't believe me. Apart from that, he was a reasonable man and it made me feel scared having to tell about it, because I didn't know who to turn to."
The case continues at Bristol Crown Court.
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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin
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