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Taxi driver quits country after female passenger reports sexual assault

Tuesday, 9 October 2018

A Nelson taxi driver who left the country after allegedly sexually assaulting a female passenger had previously been reprimanded by police for trying to cuddle another woman.

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is investigating the circumstances of the case, and another complaint where a Hamilton taxi driver asked for a 'cuddle' in lieu of payment. 

Detective sergeant Mark Kaveney,​ of Nelson police, said in July a heavily intoxicated woman in her 20s caught a taxi home in the early hours of the morning. The driver took her inside the house, where the alleged assault occurred.

Kaveney​ said the woman was adamant the sexual activity was not consensual, but she was so traumatised she had not made a formal complaint.

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The NZ Transport Agency says taxi and rideshare​ operators are obliged to report allegations of
The NZ Transport Agency says taxi and rideshare​ operators are obliged to report allegations of 'serious improper behaviour' by their drivers.

* Uber driver allegedly asks for Auckland passenger**

The man quit New Zealand before they could interview him, so police were unable to take the matter further. 

The driver worked for Nelson City Taxis and executive director Graeme Page said that, after viewing the cab security camera footage, they sacked him immediately.

There had been a previous complaint of inappropriate behaviour months earlier when the driver worked for Nelson's Hillbilly taxi service, but it was not reported to NZTA and Page said he was unaware of it.

'I'm angry because we'd never have taken him on, and we wouldn't be in this situation.'

Hillbilly owner Tracy Cotton said in about March Nelson police had given the driver a 'talking to' after a woman passenger complained he had tried to give her a cuddle. 

'The lady didn't want to press charges, she just wanted him sorted out.'

Cotton said he stopped using the driver but did not report the incident to the NZTA even though he was aware the man was driving for another local taxi company.

Nelson City Taxis executive director Graeme Page is angry another taxi company, Hillbilly, failed to report inappropriate behaviour by a driver he then unwittingly hired.
Nelson City Taxis executive director Graeme Page is angry another taxi company, Hillbilly, failed to report inappropriate behaviour by a driver he then unwittingly hired.

'I assumed rightly, or wrongly, that he would listen to the police that you don't do that here.'

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NZ Taxi Federation executive director John Hart said police had notified him of another incident where they verbally warned a Hamilton taxi driver after he followed a woman inside her home when she went to get some extra cash and then suggested they 'have a cuddle' to cover the outstanding fare. 

In an email to the federation, police said the woman passenger who contacted them was extremely frightened and unsure how the scene was going to play out as she was alone in the house with a stranger.

Uber has declined say how many complaints have been made about its drivers and says it has a team available around the clock to handle any reported incidents, along with a new emergency button allowing passengers to call 111 from the Uber app.
Uber has declined say how many complaints have been made about its drivers and says it has a team available around the clock to handle any reported incidents, along with a new emergency button allowing passengers to call 111 from the Uber app.

Smart Cabs owner Vahab​ Asgari​ said the driver in question, who still worked for him, had denied the customer's claims and there was no way of knowing who was telling the truth. 

Asgari​ said he gave the driver a formal warning, there had been no further complaints about him, and as far as he was concerned the case was closed.

NZTA senior manager of regulatory compliance Debbie Despard​ said investigations into both the Nelson and Hamilton complaints were ongoing.

Taxi company and rideshare​ operators are obliged to report allegations of serious improper behaviour, such as sexual offending, and to keep a register of complaints.

Even if police did not decide to lay charges, NZTA could conduct its own investigation and drivers who were deemed not to be 'fit and proper persons' could have their P licences revoked, Despard said. 

Last year, five of the 75 complaints NZTA received about taxi drivers were for sexual misconduct.

Three were referred to police and two went no further because of insufficient information.

Hart said it was vital that taxis operators and police immediately reported any inappropriate behaviour to NZTA.

Young women under the influence of alcohol were particularly vulnerable and there had also been problems with drivers grossly over-charging them.

'My real concern is if these guys are prepared to take advantage of young women by ripping them off for money, what else are they prepared to do?' Hart said.