Warning against touching

A judge has sent a deterrent message to men to keep their hands to themselves after a Christchurch taxi driver assaulted a teenage passenger.

Sonny Bains, 30, has admitted his conduct was unprofessional, but continues to deny two indecent assault charges even after a Christchurch District Court jury found him guilty.

Bains, now working as a part time labourer, faces an uncertain future in New Zealand after touching an 18-year-old woman who was a passenger in his Blue Star taxi in Christchurch on February 20, 2016.

The court ‘‘needs to deter men who think it’s all right to touch women in an unwelcome and inappropriate fashion’’, the judge said.

As soon as the woman got into Bains’ cab at 1.52am she saw the meter was not on, and Bains’ identification cards were not showing. He soon began talking about her nice legs, and then began touching her.

The incident was recorded on the taxi’s security camera, but without sound. It showed him repeatedly touching her leg, as she brushed his hand away, and then momentarily touching her breast with his finger.

Bains claimed the woman had negotiated a reduction in the $70 fare for being allowed to touch her leg, which he acknowledged was unprofessional.

Defence counsel April Kelland said Bains had ‘‘seriously misread the situation’’.

Bains had lost his work as a taxi driver and had to sell his cab, still owing $2000 on it. He would have trouble getting residency because of the court case.

Bains was sentenced to five months of community detention, and ordered to do 300 hours of community work.