Lewd back seat sex act cabbie spared prison
A TAXI driver who climbed into the back of his black cab and committed a sex act in front of a female passenger has been spared jail.
Peter Bricknell performed the act after collecting the woman from her boyfriend's house in Neath at 2.30am on January 3.
Instead of driving her straight home to Pontardawe, the 25-year-old stopped in a lay-by on the A474 in Rhos, got into the back of the taxi and pulled out his penis.
He pleaded guilty to intentionally exposing his genitals when he appeared at Neath Magistrates' Court, and must now sign onto the sex offenders' register.
At an earlier hearing, David Michael, the head of legal services at Neath Port Talbot Council, confirmed Bricknell's licence has been suspended and surrendered.
Prosecutor Jonathan Coombs said that Bricknell had dropped the woman off at her partner's at 9.45pm the night before the offence.
"She had ordered a taxi to return at 2.30am," he said.
"It was the same taxi driver who picked her up and they engaged in conversation.
"He told her that a woman had once offered sex instead of payment of fare."
The court heard it was then that Bricknell pulled into the "dark" lay-by, and alighted the seven-seater cab.
He got into the back of the taxi and removed a £10 note from a bag around his waist.
The woman, who thought Bricknell was joking, laughed and told him: "I'm not a prostitute."
"Mr Bricknell made no reply but was smiling," said Mr Coombs. He then "pulled his penis out with his right hand".
Mr Coombs said Bricknell asked the woman if she was "up for it", and when she said no and that she had a boyfriend, he committed a sex act anyway.
In her police statement, the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she was scared.
She stated: "He made no attempt to touch me. I looked the other way. Eventually he got back in the driving seat."
Once back at her flat the woman cried and called the police. Bricknell, who has no previous convictions, was later arrested. He accepted his victim's claims, but said she was "giggling" when he was performing the sex act.
"He said he didn't feel she was upset and didn't intend to scare her, but agreed that when he tried to enter the back of the taxi she did become scared," said Mr Coombs.
Bricknell, who now lives in Tower View, Faringdon, Oxfordshire, was sentenced to a three-year community order with supervision. He must also pay £60 costs.
source:
http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/south ... ticle.html
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