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A WODONGA taxi driver who indecently assaulted a woman when driving her home to Thurgoona recently has had a warrant issued for his arrest after he failed to attend court.
Police papers tendered in Albury Local Court yesterday outlined how Navdeep Singh covered the camera in his car with a tissue before touching the woman under her skirt, running his hand across her underwear.
The incidents happened soon after the woman sought a ride home from central Albury about 4am on May 31.
When the woman got home, she felt shocked and violated, told her family what had happened and the police were immediately contacted.
On June 4, investigating officers obtained closed-circuit footage from the taxi relating to the assault and asked Singh to attend the station.
Singh, 28, of Railway Street, Wodonga, took part in an interview with police and denied all allegations before being charged with assault with an act of indecency.
A buccal swab was obtained for forensic comparison to the woman’s underwear, which Singh is alleged to have touched during the assault.
Singh had been on $500 bail but yesterday magistrate Tony Murray issued the arrest warrant and ordered his bail be forfeited.
Solicitor Allison Bruce withdrew from the case when Singh did not appear.
The court was told Singh has been a taxi driver since 2007 and began working for Amalgamated Taxis Wodonga in October last year.
He had his taxi parked near Sweethearts Pizza in Albury when the victim approached him asked to be taken home.
Singh agreed after the woman made an up-front payment of $30 on a credit card.
She was intoxicated and feeling tired but began feeling sick soon after the trip began.
He took his left hand from the steering wheel and began rubbing the woman’s right shoulder for a short time.
A number of times he took his left hand away from steering and rubbed the victim’s left shoulder, behind her neck and upper back.
The victim did not remove his hand believing that he was reassuring her as she was not feeling well.
A short time later, he put his hand on her right knee, moved it up to the lower part of her thigh and was touching her skin under her skirt.
The camera in the middle of the windscreen was covered by a tissue and Singh put his hand back on the woman’s thigh.
Singh grabbed the woman’s panties, attempted to put his hand inside and she said: “No.”
He said nothing to the woman when he dropped her off at her destination.
