A TAXI driver who kidnapped a teenage girl in his cab before getting in the back for sex with her has been jailed for five years.

But in spite of two juries clearing Tim Harris of any sex offences, a judge also put him on a sexual offences prevention order to restrict his liberty and end his career as a cabbie.

Passing sentence Judge Tom Longbotham, sitting at Swindon Crown Court, told the 39-year-old: "This was a very serious breach of trust of a young 18-year-old girl who thinks a taxi is the safest way home and then ends up being kidnapped in the way she was."
Harris was tried twice for kidnapping the youngster after picking her up outside a club in Penhill and failing to take her straight home.

At the first trial in April this year he was cleared of a charge of rape by a jury, but they could not reach verdicts on the kidnap, attempted rape and sexual assault.

Harris, who denied all charges, faced a second trial last month and was convicted of the kidnap, but the jury found him not guilty of the sexual offences.

The father-of-three, a taxi driver for more than a decade, had been sent by V-cars to a club in Penhill to pick up a man when he saw the teenage victim waiting outside.

Instead of searching for his original fare he picked up the girl, who was expecting another cab, and took her towards her Stratton home.

But he went past the end of her road and out into the country claiming later that she said she didn't want to go home and wanted to go for a drive with him.

Crucially, he also turned off the GPS system in his cab, which allows his office to track where he is. The girl told the court that she froze' and rather than fight him off was compliant as she claimed he raped and sexually abused her.

Harris maintained what happened had been instigated by the teenager who was not just compliant but a willing participant.

Claire Marlowe, defending, said that what happened was an isolated incident and the kidnap only lasted for about an hour.

Harris' wife's health had deteriorated, she said, which meant that she could no longer work leaving the family in financial difficulties.

She said that he intended to return to working in the construction industry as he could no longer continue as a cabbie.

The judge told Harris the jury's verdicts must mean it felt there was insufficient evidence to convict of the sex charges as they could not be certain he knew she was not consenting.

Harris, he said, had no victim empathy and "will blame anyone else except yourself".

As well as jailing him for five years he also imposed a sexual offences prevention order prohibiting him working as a private hire driver or in any role where he drives people professionally.

Neither jury was told that on his arrest Harris was found to be in possession of credit cards stolen from another man who had been in his cab.

He pleaded guilty to a separate charge of theft, which took place between October 27 and November 1.

Magistrates sentenced Harris, of Charlton Close, Penhill, to eight weeks in custody for the theft, which he served last year.

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