"Shah despicably took advantage of his position"
Uber driver Temur Shah, aged 45, of Harrow, London, was convicted of sexually assaulting a passenger when she was in a vulnerable condition.
He was found guilty on October 14, 2019, following a week-long trial at Isleworth Crown Court.
Shah’s conviction comes after an investigation by the Met’s Taxi and Private Hire Policing Team.
The incident happened in the early hours of January 15, 2018. Shah had picked up the 27-year-old woman from an address in the West End.
The court heard that his passenger told him that she felt unwell. During the journey, Shah stopped his vehicle and insisted she sat in the front.
A short while later, the woman said she was going to be sick.
Shah stopped the car and leaned over her to open the front passenger door. As he did so, he groped her. The Uber driver continued to sexually assault her as she leant out of the cab vomiting.
After the woman got back into the cab, she told Shah not to touch her again.
However, the woman stayed in the car as she had no money or battery on her phone in order to call for help.
The victim reported the incident to police after she was dropped off near her home in North London.
Officers from the Taxi and Private Hire Policing Team carried out a thorough investigation, speaking to Uber and the person who booked the cab on the victim’s behalf.
They also used CCTV and GPS data from Uber to identify Shah as the suspect.
Shah was arrested on February 2, 2018, and released under investigation. On January 19, 2019, he was charged with sexual assault and has now been convicted.
Detective Superintendent Andy Cox, of the Roads and Transport Policing Command, said:
“Shah despicably took advantage of his position as a trusted licensed driver and sexually assaulted a passenger in a vulnerable state.
“His conviction was down to a meticulous investigation which left the jury in no doubt as to his guilt.
“If you ever experience unwanted sexual behaviour, report it to the police. You will always be taken seriously and the incident will be fully investigated.”
Shah also had his private hire licence revoked by Transport for London (TfL).
Mandy McGregor, Head of Transport Policing and Community Safety at TfL, explained:
“This attack on a vulnerable passenger was predatory and disgusting, and we are pleased to see that Shah has been convicted.”
“I would like to thank the young woman for coming forward and reporting this so TfL and the police could investigate and take action against the driver.
“We expect the highest standards from TfL licensed taxi and private hire drivers.
“Not only has Shah been convicted but immediate licensing action was taken to prevent him from continuing in his role as a TfL licensed private hire driver.”
Temur Shah was released on bail ahead of sentencing on November 12, 2019.
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