Taxi driver sentenced for sex assault on girl

Hikmet Kaya escaped a prison sentence, however he was told that he had seriously breached the trust that should always be there between a taxi driver and a passenger.

The young victim had got into the taxi with a couple of her friends for the trip back to Shropshire from a night out in Stafford when the attack happened.

Kaya, 39, of Riverside Mews, Stafford, denied sexually assaulting the teenager in his cab on December 29 last year.

But he was convicted by a jury after a three-day trial.

Sentencing him for the offence, Judge Simon Tonking told Kaya he had betrayed the taxi industry and the importance of maintaining trust between driver and passenger.

Kaya was sentenced to eight months in jail, suspended for two years.

He must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and was told to pay £2,800 court costs and a £100 surcharge.

The court was told the attack happened in the early hours of December 29 when Kaya was taking the girl and two friends from Stafford to Newport.

The victim was in the front passenger seat and her friends were sitting behind.

Michael Grey, for Kaya, said his client maintained his innocence and had been a man of previous good character.

Mr Grey said the offence may have happened after Kaya misread the signs after the girl had used flirty conversation and Kaya had held her hand to admire her nails.

Mr Grey said the offence was a one-off incident and there had been no complaints about Kaya before.

Judge Tonking told Kaya it was unfortunate the matter had not stopped at him holding the girl's hand.

The judge said that Kaya put his hand on the girl's leg and attempted to persuade her to touch him.

Judge Tonking said the assault had happened over clothing and at one point the girl had asked her friends in the back seat for help.

The judge told Kaya: "She was obviously distressed.

"Passengers, particularly female passengers, must be able to trust you to take them to their destination."

The judge added: "This was a isolated incident.

"It was out of character. It may cause you to lose your licence as a taxi driver."