Palmerston North Uber driver who groped breasts of two women sentenced to home detention

An Uber driver who groped two of his female passengers has been sentenced to a year of home detention.

“Your behaviour was disgraceful,” Judge Bruce Northwood told Mohammed Khan in the Palmerston North District Court today.

“You’re fortunate your wife is sticking by you.”

Judge Northwood’s comments come after Khan was working a second job as an Uber driver in Palmerston North last year.

On two occasions, months apart, he reached across to his passenger and grabbed one of her breasts before being rebuffed.

The first incident occurred on March 12 last year when Khan was booked through the Uber app to collect a 22-year-old woman and her friend in the early hours of the morning.

During the ride he reached across to where the woman sat in the passenger seat, and put his hand on her breast until she told him to stop and then got out of the car.

The second incident occurred on May 29 when a 27-year-old woman and her friend were waiting for an Uber, also in the early hours of the morning.

Khan, who was parked near where they were waiting, offered them a lift at a price better than the Uber they’d scheduled.

The two women agreed and again during the ride Khan reached over and put his hand on the woman’s breasts. This time he reached under her top and touched her skin.

The victim slapped his hand away before exiting the vehicle and reporting the incident to police.

Khan was supported in court by his wife.

He hadn’t been working for any rideshare service since the most recent incident but had been working a day job for a power lines company.

He listened as an interpreter translated the judge’s comments into Hindi for him.

One of his victims was also in the public gallery and Judge Northwood praised her bravery for attending the sentencing.

Khan received a sentence of 12 months home detention on two charges of indecent assault; six months for each of his victims.

He was also ordered to pay $1000 to each of the victims.

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