Melbourne, Oct 2: A 28-year-old Indian taxi driver was today found guilty by an Australian court of raping his inebriated female passenger last year in Brisbane.
Sunveer Jassar, hailing from Punjab, was found guilty of raping the intoxicated female student in the back of his cab after driving her to an isolated area in Brisbane's city centre last year on April 12, according to The Courier Mail.
A four hour long hearing in Brisbane District Court found Jassar guilty of raping the 27-year-old Thai national.
The court heard that Jassar had dropped off two of the victim's friends before driving to Captain Burke Park, under the Story Bridge. He then went into the back of the taxi and raped the inebriated student.
The jury also heard evidences from the girl and her two friends who had been drinking at several venues in Brisbane's CBD before deciding to catch a taxi home.
Prosecutors said after two of the girls were dropped off, the heavily intoxicated female passenger became alarmed when Jassar drove his taxi onto the Story Bridge which was in the opposite direction that she wanted to travel.
She was so concerned she called one of her two friends and requested them to give Jassar instructions on what address to drop the woman off at over the phone.
However, Jassar pulled the taxi off at the first available Story Bridge exit, stopped near the isolated park, raped her and then left her stranded under the bridge.
One witness said Jassar did know what address the victim was to have been taken to because he repeated back the address provided.
Prosecutor Ron Swanwick has submitted Jassar be jailed for in excess of six years. Judge Terry Martin is expected to sentence Jassar later today.
