Western Mail

Woman’s ‘web of lies’ accused innocent taxi driver of assault

- LIZ DAY Reporter liz.day@walesonlin­e.co.uk

AN “ATTENTION seeker” falsely told the police she had been sexually assaulted by a taxi driver in his cab, leaving his career and reputation in tatters.

Claire Morgan fabricated the allegation which led to innocent Samir Uddin being arrested, subjected to DNA tests and having his taxi licence suspended so he struggled to support his family.

Sentencing her at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Eleri Rees said: “This was a wicked course of conduct.”

The court heard Morgan got in Mr Uddin’s taxi at around 4pm on May 11 last year and he took her on a fiveminute journey to Wildmill in Bridgend.

Rachel Knight, prosecutin­g, said she paid £3.80 and there was no dispute about the fare.

She said: “He was simply doing his job. The next thing he knew, as he returned from prayer at the mosque, he had a message from the police.”

Mr Uddin received the message on May 15 and went straight to Bridgend Police Station.

Ms Knight said: “He was shocked to discover he was being accused of sexual assault.”

The court heard he was arrested and spent six hours in custody during which time he had his fingerprin­ts taken and was given DNA tests.

Ms Knight said: “[It was] an intrusive process for a man who had no reason to be there whatsoever.”

Prosecutor­s said he was released on bail and had to explain the situation to his family, employer and mosque community.

The court heard he was a “family man” who was married with three children and volunteere­d as assistant treasurer at a mosque in Port Talbot.

Ms Knight said his taxi licence was suspended straight away and he had to borrow money to support his family while he was under investigat­ion.

Prosecutor­s said Morgan phoned the police three days after the taxi journey claiming she had been sexually assaulted by the driver.

The court heard two officers went to her home and she gave a false statement, claiming the driver stopped near a park and put his hand down her top and trousers.

Police recovered CCTV which did not match up with her account.

Officers published an appeal for witnesses on Facebook and the defendant set up a false account in the name of Sarah Jenkins, posing as a witness who gave an account that backed up her statement.

Using the fake profile she said: “I saw a woman running through Wildmill in a right state at that time.”

Ms Knight said: “All of this was a complete fiction created by the defendant.”

The court heard Morgan then called Crimestopp­ers on May 18, posing as another witness, and gave a descriptio­n of the taxi driver.

Prosecutor­s said her clothes were taken for forensic investigat­ion but only her DNA was found.

Ms Knight said she had a “long history of lie-telling”. The court heard she told people her daughter was at the Manchester Arena the day it was bombed and only just escaped, which was not true.

When officers spoke to her on June 1 she denied posting on Facebook under a false name and complained she felt like she was being treated as a suspect.

Prosecutor­s said she insisted her account was true but sent a text message to the police telling them she no longer wanted to support the prosecutio­n because she had been “disowned” by her family.

Ms Knight said: “The police realised she had been telling a pack of lies.”

There was no further action against Mr Uddin.

Morgan was arrested and said in her police interview: “I’m really sorry for what I put him through and what I put everybody through. I did want to tell you and I know I need help.”

A psychologi­cal report concluded she was “an attention seeker” with personalit­y disorder.

Prosecutor­s said Mr Uddin spent six weeks under investigat­ion and could not get his licence back immediatel­y. He said he felt like people were still judging him.

Ms Knight said: “The resources used by the police were vast.”

She told the court it was not possible to give an exact figure but the detective constable in charge of the case spent 60 hours investigat­ing and the forensic tests cost £450.

She had been before the courts for 18 previous offences, including benefit fraud. She received a community order in 2013 but re-offended and was sent to prison.

Morgan, 35, of Maes-Y-Felin in Wildmill, Bridgend, admitted perverting the course of justice.

Giles Hayes, mitigating, said: “It is only in the last few days that the magnitude of what she has done has finally hit home.”

The court heard she has multiple health problems including a degenerati­ve spine condition.

Mr Hayes added: “When at her lowest ebb she made this stupid, rash decision.”

Judge Rees noted she went to “elaborate lengths” in her offending “by adding layer upon layer into a web of lies”.

She added: “Throughout this period, you had no regard for the untold damage you were causing to a man of impeccable good character.”

Morgan was jailed for 30 months.

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