Jury set to decide in groping trial
The trial involving an Auckland taxi driver who is accused of groping one of his passengers, well-known radio host Jay-Jay Feeney, has adjourned and the jury is set to deliberate on a verdict today.
Baljeet Singh’s trial for allegedly indecently assaulting the radio host began on Monday in the Auckland District Court before a jury and Judge Nevin Dawson.
Singh, 28, denies the charge and pleaded not guilty last year.
The courtroom yesterday heard the closing statements from both the Crown and Singh’s defence counsel.
Crown prosecutor Nick Webby started by saying the trial had been short, but it was still an important trial for those concerned.
He said the sole issue at hand for the jury was to determine whether Singh touched Feeney’s breast inside the taxi, or not.
“If he did, as Jay-Jay Feeney said he did, then there should be no difficulty finding it was indecent touching,” he said.
Webby said a trial like this came down to truth and lies.
“Two versions of events can’t coexist,” he said.
“Either Jay-Jay Feeney is telling the truth or she made it up. There are no grey areas.”
Webby said very little of what happened in the taxi that morning was in dispute, apart from whether the touching happened.
Singh confirmed earlier in the trial that he did not dispute that he’d asked Feeney about her relationship status, asked if he could be her boyfriend, complimented her on her looks and talked about her breasts.
Defence counsel Marie Dyhrberg QC argued that Feeney had provided unsubstantiated and unreliable evidence.
She said Singh had been falsely accused and subsequently was living everyone’s worst nightmare.
“He was just carrying out his job, taking home an initially abusive, drunk woman, and he got her home safely,” she said.
Dyhrberg said the jury could not rely on the evidence Feeney had given.
“The statements given are inconsistent with each other and against common sense,” she said.
“Inappropriate conversation does not constitute indecent assault,” Dyhrberg said.
She said her client was nothing more than an easy target facing false allegations.
The trial was adjourned and the jury is set to reconvene today.