Court Told That Hove Cabbie Forced Himself On Woman
Tuesday 28th July 2009
A woman was sexually assaulted by her taxi driver admirer after he helped carry her shopping into her studio flat, a court was told.
Abdelhakim Belalia is accused of forcing himself on the woman after his repeated advances and compliments were rejected.
Belalia denies one charge of attempted rape and sexual assault on July 4 last year.
Lewes Crown Court was told that the woman had parked her car outside her home and was carrying her shopping inside when the defendant offered to help her.
She said no but he picked up the bag and followed her into her studio flat.
While she packed the shopping away, she alleges Belalia came up behind her, put his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.
Oliver Dunkin, prosecuting, said: “She pushed him away and told him she did not want to.
“She gave him a glass of juice to keep him calm. They went into the lounge and he continued to pay her compliments but she said she was not interested.”
The court was told that Belalia then attempted to rape the woman but she managed to fight him off, grab her keys and run out of the door.
The woman said she sat in her car for five minutes before going back into the flat.
The defendant had disappeared so the woman called one of her daughters. She then spoke to her other daughter who called the police.
Belalia was arrested at 12.40am on July 5.
The woman said: “He asked me to sit next to him. I was scared. I said no.
“He started saying he liked me, my hair, my eyes.”
She added: “I told him many times to stop because I thought he was going to go even further.
“I thought something worse might happen, that he might kill me.”
The trial continues.
Source; theargus.co.uk
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