Sandeep Kumar, an Auckland taxi driver, twice groped women passengers in his cab. (Representational Image)
An Indian-origin taxi driver in New Zealand has been sentenced to three months home detention for 'indecent assault' on two women in separate incidents, a media report said today.
Sandeep Kumar, an Auckland taxi driver, twice groped women passengers in his cab. He has been sentenced to three months home detention so that he can support his wife and child, NZ Herald reported.
Kumar previously pleaded guilty to two counts of 'indecent assault' after he took advantage of intoxicated young women who had trusted him to drive them home, the report said.
"People should be able to catch taxis without the threat of offending against them. It should be a safe way for young women to get home at night," Judge Nevin Dawson said.
"Your offending not only makes it difficult for young women to rely on taxi services but now also casts aspersions on all other taxi drivers; unfairly so," the Judge said.
The first incident took place in September 2014 when Kumar picked up a young woman from Ponsonby suburb of Auckland city. As she sat in the front passenger seat, the defendant began massaging her leg, the report said.
"She was very scared at that point and did not want to confront you," judge Dawson said.
Kumar asked her if she wanted to go "somewhere else" but she declined and he dropped her home.
Nine months later, he picked up another female partygoer from the upmarket suburb. She told police that Kumar touched her inappropriately and groped her in the taxi.
Because Kumar was supporting his wife and 18-month-old child, Judge Dawson ordered he should be allowed to continue working in his new job at a catering company if that could be arranged, the report added.
Home detention is an alternative to full-time imprisonment. In this sentence, a person is confined in his or her residence by the authorities.