Student who lied about sex attack in cab jailed
A STUDENT has been jailed for falsely accusing a taxi driver of sexual assault.
Sophie Pointon, who studies criminology and wanted to join the police, made up the story after the cabbie refused to accept a £10 note covered in oil from her kebab.
The 22-year-old rang officers in the early hours to say she had been molested and signed a statement detailing the supposed late-night attack in Leeds in April.
Detectives tracked down the cab driver and held the father of five in custody for six hours.
His taxi licence was withdrawn during the investigation and he was unable to work for a month.
But thanks to GPS tracking
‘Malicious complaint a huge disservice’
technology and a recording of a conversation between the driver and his boss, Pointon’s lies were exposed.
Jailing her for 16 months, Judge Christopher Batty said: ‘Your malicious complaint has done a huge disservice to those seeking justice through the police and courts.’
The court heard that Pointon told police that the taxi driver got in the cab beside her, offered her a mint and touched her intimately.
Kate Bisset, prosecuting, said that in the police interview the driver recalled Pointon being ‘extremely drunk’ when she got into his car holding a kebab.
He said she threw a £10 note at him when they reached the Hyde Park area of the city but he refused to accept it because it was so soiled.
The driver, who has not been named, said Pointon then became abusive and ran around the vehicle opening its doors.
Miss Bisset added: ‘He did not think much of it at the time because such incidents with people who are intoxicated are not unusual.’
His version of events was supported by the recording of a conversation between him and his taxi operator.
Pointon’s description of the journey was shown to be false by data from a GPS tracker fitted to the vehicle.
After investigating Pointon’s claims, police became suspicious and challenged her.
She broke down in tears and asked whether she could drop the case.
However, she was later charged with perverting the course of justice and pleaded guilty. The judge was told that the taxi driver was a practising Muslim and that the incident had led to him being shunned by members of his community.
Pointon, from Manchester, has since graduated with an honours degree from Leeds Beckett University. Her barrister, Denise BreenLawton, said her hopes of joining the police were now ruined.
The driver said in a statement that the incident had a serious impact on him and his life.
He added: ‘People in my community do not even want to be seen with me. I am now extremely reluctant to take lone females in case I am accused again.
‘The girl who accused me is the same age as my own daughter – I cannot comprehend why she made this allegation.
‘I feel religiously tainted from this and no help from the police or the courts can help that.’
‘I feel religiously tainted from this’