Uber driver, 45, who groped female passenger, 27, as she threw up out of taxi door is jailed
AN Uber driver who groped a female passenger while she vomited out of the door of his cab was today jailed for 16 months.
Temur Shah, 45, assaulted a 27-year-old old woman in his car in the early hours of January 15 last year, after collecting her from an address in the West End.
Isleworth Crown Court heard his passenger said she felt unwell and during the journey, Shah stopped the car and insisted she sat in the front seat.
When the woman said she was going to be sick a short while later, Shah stopped the vehicle again and leaned over her to open the door - putting his hand under her bra.
He continued to sexually assault the vulnerable woman as she leaned out of the car vomiting.
After the assault, the passenger told Shah not to touch her again but had to stay in the car as she had no money or battery on her phone in order to call for help.
She reported the incident to police after she was dropped off near her home.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police's Taxi and Private Hire Policing Team used CCTV and GPS data from Uber to identify Shah as the suspect.
Shah, of Harrow, was arrested over the sexual assault on February 2 2018, and released under investigation.
He was charged with sexual assault on January 19 this year and was convicted after a one-week trial.
'VULNERABLE PASSENGER'
Kate Blumgart, prosecuting, said that since the incident the victim had difficulty getting into taxis and was fearful that Shah knew where she lived.
She said: "She recently had a panic attack in a mini-cab with her husband. She found it difficult to tell her parents of the incident, as it made her feel 'more guilty than she already did'.
Judge Nicholas Wood said: "As she herself said 'what was she to do?' Her escape route was very limited.
"You had a young woman in your trust, in your cab, late at night. She was utterly defenceless as she turned away from you facing the gutter."
Hugh D'Aguilar, defending, told the court that Shah was "fearful of going to prison" as he looked after his three children and his elderly mother during the day while his wife was at work.
Shah's mother sat in court alongside other members of his family, who wept as the sentence was read out.
DRIVER CAGED
Detective Superintendent Andy Cox, from the Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: "Shah despicably took advantage of his position as a trusted licensed driver and sexually assaulted a passenger in a vulnerable state.
“His conviction was down to a meticulous investigation which left the jury in no doubt as to his guilt."
Mandy McGregor, head of transport policing and community safety at TfL, said: "This attack on a vulnerable passenger was predatory and disgusting, and we are pleased to see that Shah has been convicted."
Following Shah's conviction, an Uber spokeswoman said: "We are appalled by this case and have a zero tolerance policy on any such behaviour in the Uber community.
"Any driver found to have behaved in this manner faces permanent removal from the app."
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Uber was granted a 15-month licence in 2018 after it appealed against a TfL decision to not renew its licence over concerns about safety and security.
These included the company's approach to reporting serious criminal offences, how drivers' medical certificates were obtained and how criminal record checks were carried out.
Uber's short-term licence expires on November 24.
