Queensland Police are investigating an alleged sexual assault on the Gold Coast by an Indian Uber driver who is accused of locking the door of his car before allegedly raping a 20-year-old female passenger.
The 24-year-old man from Coombabah, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with one count of rape and one count of assault over the alleged incident on 23rd September.
The 24-year-old hospitality student from India had driven for Uber for only a couple of months. He appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on Saturday morning and was denied bail, the reported.
Police alleged that the attack occurred after the woman ordered a ride around 1 am on 23rd September with the accused allegedly stopped the car during the journey before assaulting the woman passenger.
Police alleged that the accused locked the woman in his car, leaned her seat back and began kissing her before he raped her in the early hours of the morning.
Lawyer Sam Jackson told the court the ride-sharing driver denied the allegations, and that he had no criminal history and it was an “isolated” incident.
“Evidence of the alleged assault is limited to the complainant,” the lawyer said.
The Magistrate refused the bail application of the man saying the “vulnerable woman” was allegedly “preyed upon by this young man”.
The man has been remanded in custody and will re-appear in court on October 10.
