Taxi driver sexually assaulted woman passenger, Bradford Crown Court jury told

Father-of-four Farooq Ahmed denies making indecent suggestions on the ten minute cab journey from Hall Ings in Bradford city centre to her home and then touching her bare knee.

The court heard yesterday that Ahmed, 38, of Birch Lane, West Bowling, Bradford, agreed to take the woman to her house for £4 after she told him she did not have the full fare.

Prosecutor Michael Smith said she twice rang the police in the early hours asking for help to get home because she had fallen out with her partner. She was advised to find a taxi driver who would take her for £4 and Ahmed, who was parked in a taxi rank on Hall Ings, agreed to help.

Mr Smith said that 25 minutes later, the woman rang the police for a third time.

“She was upset and frightened and said the taxi driver had touched her leg,” Mr Smith said.

She also alleged Ahmed had told her his sexual fantasies while driving her home and made indecent suggestions.

It is alleged that he at first stopped her getting out of the taxi outside her home and then said he wanted to come in.

Ahmed, who pleads not guilty to sexual assault on April 6 last year, said the woman was crying and on the phone to the police when she got into his taxi at about 3.45am.

They barely spoke on the journey except that he asked if she was all right.

Ahmed said she complained of being harassed or assaulted by her partner and was extremely drunk.

Ahmed said he thought she had gone into her home to fetch him the balance of the taxi fare for a journey that would have cost between £7 and £8.

He waited outside for her to bring him the money and when she did not reappear, he drove off.

He told the police he had “a beautiful wife at home and four kids” and had no reason to make approaches to the woman. It would, anyway, have been stupid to do so outside her house.

“I think she just wanted to make allegations to get compensation. It is all just a lie,” he said.

The trial continues.