Taxi driver denies a charge of rape at his crown court trial
A passenger bit a taxi driver's private parts as he raped her after she got into his cab to get home, jurors have heard.
ProsecutorsclaimMalcolm Hancock "forced himself" on thewoman,whoitwassaidwas "seven out of ten" drunk, after she got into the car.
ProsecutorPaulAbrahams told jurors the alleged victim, whocannotbenamed,believes shebitHancock'sprivateparts "although not hard” before she got out of the car.
But the 55-year-old cabbie, of Low House Farm Cottage, East Boldon, claims it was the alleged victim who was "sexually aggressive towards him" and denies rape.
He is being tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.
Mr Abrahams told the court: "In essence, the Crown say the defendant, who was working as a taxi driver, forced himselfuponthecomplainant after he had given her a fare home and orally raped her in his taxi."
Thecourtheardthewoman had been drinking before she got into the cab and her memory is affected by alcohol.
MrAbrahamssaidHancock hadaskedifhecouldcomeinto the woman's home when they pulled up outside but she refused.
It is claimed he then committed the offence.
MrAbrahamsadded:"Confused by what was going on, it took a moment for her to respond.”
He said the victim believed
she bit his private parts, although not hard.
In a recorded interview
with a police officer, the woman said Hancock had grabbed her hand and put it on his private parts, over his clothing, before he exposed himself and forced her head down.
Shesaid:"Idon'teventhinkI bithard.Iwasthinking'should I bite it', I went to bite it.
"If I did bite it, I didn't bite hard."
The woman accepted her memoryofwhathappenedwas hazy and added: "I just know whathappenedshouldn'thave happened."
Hancockwasthentracedby police and he was questioned within hours of the attack on the woman.
He initially said he had "no idea" about the allegation but later claimed it was the woman who had invited him into her home then "grabbed" and "squeezed" his penis after he refused.
Hancockclaimedthewoman had briefly performed oral sex on him but he stopped her after "two or three seconds".
The trial continues.