Taxi Driver 'raped and filmed' Passengers
9th September 2008
A taxi driver accused of raping a female passenger and sexually assaulting others has gone on trial at Plymouth Crown Court.
Malcolm Robert Curtis, aged 48, of Flanstead Crescent, Kings Tamerton, is also charged with voyeurism where it is alleged he filmed female passengers performing sexual acts.
Curtis has denied 10 charges relating to alleged incidents between October 2003 and November last year.
He is accused of two counts of rape and one charge of attempted rape on the same woman, one count of indecent assault, three sexual assaults and three charges of voyeurism where he allegedly filmed his passengers in the back of his taxi.
Prosecutor Llewellyn Sellick told the seven man and five woman jury that it was not a coincidence that many of the victim gave ‘similar accounts’ of what Curtis said and did to them.
Two women in separate attacks were asked whether they had had breast surgery, Mr Sellick told the court.
The jury heard how Curtis’ taxi was unique in Plymouth having a disco sound system and flashing lights inside and with the registrations number 498 SHY.
Curtis attacked the women as he drove them home from nightclubs - often locking them in the back seats during the ordeal.
Curtis, who has a heavy stammer, fitted his cab with an extra large 'hatch' between the front driver's seat and the rear, the court heard.
He would asked female passengers to ''move closer'' so they could understand his stutter better but would suddenly grab their breasts and crotch.
Curtis also fitted his taxi with a camera and would film up women's skirts for his own sexual gratification, Plymouth Crown Court heard.
His campaign of sex attacks culminated last year when he pulled over and raped a female passenger on the back seat - before taking her home, the jury heard.
Llewellyn Sellick, prosecuting, said: ''Mr Curtis is clearly a man who is obsessed with sex.''
In May 21, 2005, the court heard Curtis had four female university students in his cab and offered them a reduced fare if they kissed each other or him.
Mr Sellick said: ''One of them gave him peck on the cheek but as she leaned forward he put his hand through the partition of the cab.
''He put his hand up her skirt and touched her crotch. When they tried to get out, the doors were locked.''
The court heard in July 2005 Curtis asked another woman if she had a boob job and when she said she couldn't hear, he asked her to approach the hatch.
Mr Sellick said: ''She asked him to repeat the question and he stuttered and told her that her breasts 'couldn't be real'.
''He said her chest was 'beautiful' and as she tried to leave the cab he locked the doors and then grabbed her breasts before letting her out.''
During her interview with police the victim said she had noticed the hatch in the cab was ''unusual'' and ''abnormally'' big.
The alleged rape took place in his normal black cab after he suddenly pulled over into the forecourt of a machinery hire business as he drove his victim home.
Mr Sellick said: ''The defendant got into the back of the cab and said 'you know you want it'.
''She pushed him away but she later told police it seemed like this 'made him like it more'. He raped her before taking her home.''
Mr Sellick said the camera in the cab filmed around three hours of footage - including up women's skirts and couples kissing and touching each other.
The trial continues.
Source; thisisplymouth.co.uk
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