Rape Charge Man Admits Nine Lies
25th September 2008
A Plymouth taxi driver accused of raping a female passenger has admitted lying to police nine times in his first interview.
The jury at Plymouth Crown Court yesterday heard prosecutor Llewellyn Sellick read out the statements Malcolm Robert Curtis now admits were false.
All related to an alleged incident in which the prosecution say a woman was driven to a car park in Pennycomequick before being raped and sexually assaulted by Curtis.
The 48-year-old, who has elected not to give evidence in his own defence, admitted the following statements, made to police on January 9, were lies:
He told police he did not drive his taxi to a car park behind a social club.
His vehicle remained in view of traffic using Pennycomequick roundabout.
He said he did not get into the back of the taxi.
He remained standing outside the cab.
The woman grabbed his crotch when he was outside the cab.
He pulled her hand out of his trousers.
He did not have oral sex with her in the cab.
He did not physically touch the woman in the back of the cab.
Nothing happened between him and the woman.
Curtis, of Flamsteed Crescent, Kings Tamerton, denies two charges of rape, one of attempted rape, one of indecent assault, three of sexual assault and three of voyeurism.
The agreed statement ended the prosecution case, with defence counsel Nick Lewin calling just two defence witnesses.
Solicitor David Tarry said Curtis was questioned in his presence by police on January 9 about a rape allegation, and on January 11 about allegations of voyeurism.
He agreed that on January 9, he advised Curtis not to answer police questions in subsequent interviews.
On January 11, police were read a prepared statement after which Curtis remained silent, he said.
The second witness, black cab driver Edwin Rendle, said he knew Curtis through the taxi trade and had bought a black cab from him.
He said between the driver and the passenger compartment there were two large, fixed glass screens, with between them a plastic screen with small holes to speak through and a small slot four to six inches square for the driver to put his hand through for payment.
But under cross-examination, he admitted he did not know if the partitions had been altered before the vehicle was sold to him.
Both prosecution and defence are expected to make their closing speeches this morning, with Judge Philip Wassell summing up this afternoon.
The jury is expected to be sent out late this afternoon or tomorrow morning.
The trial, originally scheduled for two weeks, is nearing the end of its third after delays for legal arguments and submissions.
Source; thisisplymouth.co.uk
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