A taxi driver who grabbed the breast of a young woman passenger has been jailed for six months. Married father, Zahid Shah, denied sexually assaulting the 22-year-old in the early hours of the morning, after helping her out of the cab. He was convicted unanimously by a jury of eight men and four women at Leicester Crown Court.
Deputy Judge Michael Stokes QC, said: "Women have to know if they're getting into a taxi in this city, or any other city, they will be safe and not subjected to an indecent assault, no matter how brief an incident it may be. Any taxi driver who commits an offence in these circumstances must know they will lose their liberty."
Shah told the jury, when he gave evidence, he hugged the victim because they had argued about the fare in the taxi moments earlier and he wanted to "calm her."
The victim, however, said there was no dispute over the fare. Shah denied asking for a kiss or touching her breast.
After the verdict the judge was handed a character reference from the defendant's wife, describing him as a "loyal" husband.
The judge inquired whether she was aware that her husband was given a police caution in February this year for soliciting a prostitute and was told the wife was in court and had attended the trial. Shah will have to enlist on a sex offenders' register for seven years.
