Taxi driver ‘tried to kiss girl’, jury told

ATAXI driver told a schoolgirl she would be ‘ well fun’ on a night out before grabbing hold of her and trying to kiss her, a court heard.

Nasir Ahmed, 54, of Blackburn Road, Haslingden, is standing trial accused of sexual activity with a child. He denies the charge. Prosecutor Tim Ashmore told Preston Crown Court that the alleged incident happened last year when Mr Ahmed was dropping the complainant off.

The jury heard that Mr Ahmed picked up the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and she was sat in the front passenger seat for the journey.

Mr Ashmore said they were having a ‘ normal’ conversation before Mr Ahmed started to make ‘ inappropriate’ remarks and then tried to kiss her

He told the court: “The defendant came out with a few strange things verbally.

“He spoke about drinking alcohol and said she would be ‘ well fun’ on a night out.

“These small topics of conversation started to alarm [ the complainant].

“The taxi stopped and the defendant put his arms around her, gripped her and then tried to kiss her.

“He didn’t do so but he got so close that she could smell his breath.

“The police were called and a report was made to the police.”

The court heard that Mr Ahmed was arrested ‘pretty soon afterwards’ and questioned by police.

He denied ‘any inappropriate behaviour’ with the teenager and said she was ‘ reluctant to pay her fee’.

Mr Ahmed told officers that she ‘ended up being aggressive and using racist language’ towards him.

Mr Ashmore told the jury the sexual activity involved ‘gripping her arm, putting his arm around her and trying to kiss her’. Mr Ahmed denies the claims.

Proceeding.