Groped by the ‘perverted cabbie’

A cab driver groped a passenger’s breasts after asking her if she liked massages, a court heard.

Richard Murali, 55, placed his hand between the woman’s thighs and asked if he could take her to McDonald’s while driving her home from a nightclub, jurors were told.

The woman had been on a night out with friends at Fiction nightclub, opposite Romford Station, on 18 June last year.

She was left herself alone with Murali after her mates were dropped home by the driver, jurors heard.

Murali allegedly groped the woman while she was on the phone to a friend.

He reached inside her jacket and tried to take it off, after placing his hand between her thigh, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

Shabeen Azhar, prosecuting, said: ‘This case concerns events that took place in the early morning on 18 June last year.

‘On that date the Crown say that the defendant, a taxi driver, grabbed the breasts and placed his hand between her legs while driving her home.’

After dropping off her friends the driver asked for the woman to move to the front seat.

‘He then stroked her hair and asked if it was natural,’ said Ms Azhar.

‘He placed his left hand on her right breast initially over the clothes, but then under her clothing and tried to open her jacket.

‘He asked her if she liked massages.

‘She said “stop it”.

‘She tried to explain to her friend on the phone what was going on in a subtle way.

‘While doing so the defendant placed his hand between her thighs.

‘He then asked if she wanted a drink from McDonald’s.

‘She got him to stop the vehicle and she exited, explaining what happened to her friend on the phone.

‘She walked the remaining distance to her address and woke her mother up who called the police to report it.

‘The crown submits that these actions where intentional and of a sexual nature amounting to sexual assault.’

The woman spoke to her mother immediately on arriving home at 6am, who called the police.

Murali was arrested on 28 September last year.

‘He was picked out in an ID parade by the complainant as the man who had driven her home,’ added the prosecutor.

Murali, of Wadeville Avenue, Romford, Essex, denies one count of sexual assault.

The trial continues.
ends