https://www.live95fm.ie/news/limerick-taxi-driver-sentenced-to-18-months-for-se/A Limerick taxi driver who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in the back of his vehicle has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.
The Polish national, aged in his early 40s, was charged with sexual assault at a housing estate on the 13th of March, 2016.
Live95fm's Aoife McLoughlin reports...
Limerick District Court heard that on the night of the assault, the victim had been at a family event and flagged down the taxi in the city at around 1am.
The victim's partner had gone home earlier in the night and woke when he heard the taxi outside their house for around 20 minutes.
When he went outside he saw no one in the drivers seat and found the defendant on top of his partner in the back of the car.
Reading the evidence, Judge Tom O'Donnell said the victim was described as being in a highly intoxicated state. After retrieving the drivers keys, the victim's partner got her into the house and called gardaí.
The accused stayed on scene and told gardai when they arrived he had been assaulted by the partner.
Judge Tom O'Donnell said the defendant had made an early plea in what was "an outrageous performance " and a "clear breach of trust".
He said the early plea was pivotal in what would have been a difficult case to successfully prosecute.
He sentenced the man to 3 years in prison with the last 18 months suspended for 3 years.
