Taxi Drivers CCTV lands 'sex attack' liar in JailA woman has been sent to prison for falsely claiming a taxi driver sexually assaulted her. Claire Emma Carr, 20, from west Hull was jailed for 12 weeks after she admitted lying.
The falsely accused driver today told the Mail he could have "lost everything" if he did not have CCTV in his vehicle – which proved she was telling lies.
The 48-year-old driver picked up Carr from an address in Camelford Close, Bransholme, and took her to her home in Wesley Court, west Hull, on April 13.
He said: "It was just a normal job. I asked her where she was going, we didn't even speak until we got to Freetown Way. Someone had been knocked off their bike and we were saying how bad it was. I dropped her off as normal, she paid me the fare, and that was that."
The next morning, the taxi driver, who has worked in the city for 25 years, had a knock on his door from a police officer.
"It was about 8.30am," he said. "I asked if I could help him and he said there had been an allegation of a sexual assault against me. I was absolutely mortified."
The driver told the police officer he had CCTV cameras in his vehicle, which were checked and proved nothing had happened.
"She had told police I had made some sexual remarks to her, and that when we got to Fountain Road she said I had tried to put my hands down her trousers," he said.
"She said she screamed and made me stop the car and ran off. Thankfully, the CCTV proved different and showed what really happened."
The taxi driver, who has asked not to be named, said the CCTV he has inside his vehicle saved his life.
"If it wasn't for my CCTV I could have lost everything," he said. "I would have lost my job which is my living, I could have lost my house. Thankfully, I have got a rock-solid marriage and my wife knew she was lying, but someone else might not have been so lucky."
The 48-year-old is now urging other drivers to install CCTV in their vehicles after he purchased the equipment himself. "It saved my life," he said. "I dread to think what could have happened if I didn't have this in my vehicle."
The taxi driver described Carr as "completely normal" when he met her on April 13.
"I just don't know what went through her head," he said. "I believe she should be named and shamed for what she has done. Her actions undermine actual victims of sexual abuse and assault.
"There was no reason for what she did. The stress I have been under has been horrendous."
Carr pleaded guilty to wasting police time when she appeared at Hull Magistrates' Court on Monday. She was jailed for 12 weeks.
Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Foster, of Humberside Police's protecting vulnerable people unit, said: "We actively encourage victims of sexual assault to contact the force so they can be supported by specialist officers. Any allegation of sexual assault is then thoroughly and robustly investigated to ensure offenders are brought to justice.
"However, in cases like this, any false reports of sexual assault will not be tolerated and those responsible face being charged with wasting police time and dealt with by the courts."
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http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Taxi-dri ... z49HDF0auq
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