A former Galway city taxi-driver who sexually assaulted a lone female passenger in his taxi late at night was described by a judge yesterday as a "nasty little pervert with a "nasty little mind", who should not have been driving a taxi in the first place.
The man, who cannot be identified, was convicted by Judge Conal Gibbons of sexually assaulting a third-level student who got into his taxi after a night out with friends on November 8th, 2002, contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Amendment Act 1990, as amended by Section 37 of the Sex Offenders Act, 2001. He had denied the charge.
Judge Conal Gibbons ordered that the accused could not be identified by the media and he imposed the maximum sentence of 12 months in prison for such an offence.
Evidence was heard that the victim had tried to open the rear door of a taxi outside a city centre nightclub at 2 a.m. but the door was locked.
The accused, who was driving the taxi, opened the front passenger door for her and she got in.
On the way back to her flat in another part of the city, the accused commented she had a nice chest and complimented her on her choice of v-neck top. The victim told the court in tears that she became uncomfortable and afraid at the direction in which the conversation was going and she stopped talking to the accused.
She paid her fare and as she was putting the change into her handbag, he reached over and put his hand inside her top and bra and groped her breast.
She made a complaint to gardaí and later identified him in an identity parade at Galway Garda Station.
Judge Conal Gibbons said there was no doubt in his mind the accused was guilty. People, he said, traditionally viewed taxis as places of safety and young people are advised to take a taxi home after a night out because it is regarded as the safest way to travel at night.