By Lisa Davies

HASSAN Mourtada, 52, denied he assaulted an 18-year-old passenger by repeatedly touching her during a 45-minute taxi ride, instead claiming it was consensual.

However, Downing Centre Local Court magistrate Antony Townsden found his evidence "one of the least compelling versions I've heard".

He ordered Mourtada serve weekend detention for at least three months, saying the young woman was subjected to "persistent" and "aggressive" advances from the St George Taxi Company driver as she just tried to get home one afternoon last March.

The court heard Mourtada repeatedly asked the girl to be "good friends", and at one stage insisting he buy her a drink.

The young woman, who was enroute from her boyfriend's Newtown home to her residence at Liverpool, asked to be dropped off at the next railway station after becoming alarmed at Mourtada's behaviour.

Instead he told her: "No, no, no, I'll take you home, I'll pay for it."

Mourtada repeatedly "rubbed his left hand up and down" her right arm, also fondling her right breast at the same time.

The scared woman objected as Mourtada tried to kiss her.

"Don't worry it's not sex, it's just a friendly kiss. We can be friends," he responded.

Later, as he became frustrated, Mourtada told her: "I kept my word to take you home but you didn't keep your word. You agreed to me that we could be good friends, you understood what I said."

He told her he was "lonely" and had separated from his wife and children.

In truth, the court heard he did not tell his wife and four children of the charges against him until recently.

When the young woman finally got him to stop the vehicle, Mourtada grabbed her face with two hands and tried to kiss her again. She managed to free herself.

"I was so scared for my safety that I thought the taxi driver was going to rape me," she told police.

The court also heard details of Mourtada's previous offence, which included him attacking another young woman who he begged to go home with him.

As she tried to flee the cab after he had already groped her ankles, Mourtada grabbed her hair and forced his mouth on hers.

He pleaded guilty to that offence in 1999 and received a good behaviour bond.

Mr Townsden said Mourtada had breached the trust of women who deserved to feel safe in taxis.

"It's important people who drive taxis don't conduct themselves in such a manner," he said.

Mourtada has been ordered to report for weekend detention at Silverwater jail from April 14.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21434458-5006009,00.html