Taxi driver in Cheltenham asked passenger for kiss, court told

TAXI driver Mahomed Mamodo repeatedly asked a woman passenger for a kiss.

The 24-year-old woman jumped out of the cab in shock and collapsed in tears when she got home, Gloucester Crown Court was told.

Cabbie Mahomed Mamodo, 37, denies sexual assault of the woman on November 20 last year.

Lisa Hennessy, prosecuting, said the woman had been to the Thirteen Degrees club in St George's Road, Cheltenham, that night.

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She intended to get a takeaway with a friend, but when she saw the length of the queue for food she decided to go home and hailed a Toyota Avensis taxi after walking alone along St George's Place.

"She had a brief conversation with the driver and asked if he would take her to Charlton Kings for £5," said Mrs Hennessy. "He said the normal price was £7, but he eventually agreed.

"The taxi stopped at the bottom of Battledown Approach and she asked him to take her up the hill. He said he would do but only if she sat in the front with him.

"She then got out of the back of the car and moved to the front passenger seat.

Kiss

"The driver asked several times if he could kiss her and she refused. In an attempt to change the conversation she asked him his name and religion."

Mamodo then began inappropriately touching her, said Mrs Hennessy.

"She was utterly shocked. She opened the car door and got out. She went home completely stunned by what had happened. When she got through her front door she burst into tears. She told her boyfrend what had happened and he dialled 999."

Mr Mamodo, who now lives in Leicester, denied picking up any single females that night and he suggested another driver who might be responsible.

But the young woman picked out his photograph from a selection of 10 pictures of men of similar description and said he was the attacker.

She was being picked up from Cheltenham railway station by her boyfriend on November 30 when she saw the defendant in his cab and recognised him as the attacker, said Mrs Hennessy. She saw him again on December 2 at the station.

The trial continues.