Emma Richards, 41, from Litherland, collapsed to the floor in tears at Liverpool Crown Court after a judge sentenced her for sexually assaulting a taxi driver while he was driving. Despite avoiding jail, she wept uncontrollably when told she would be placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for five years.
Attack on taxi driver caught on CCTV
The mum-of-four, of Green Lane in Litherland, had admitted sexual assault after originally denying the charge. Judge Simon Medland KC said the evidence against her was "frankly overwhelming because of the car CCTV footage."
The incident happened at about 8.50pm on June 12. Prosecutor Ben Stanley said the taxi driver had picked Richards up from Cumberland Street in the Cavern Quarter to take her to Green Lane, and she sat in the front passenger seat.
Victim's life changed by assault
Richards, who had drunk significant amounts of alcohol, made inappropriate remarks and told the driver he "smelled nice." She grabbed his left arm and tried to kiss him, then touched his groin and bared her chest while fondling him. The incident lasted around four minutes before she got out of the car. The driver then parked around the corner and called the police.
In a statement, the victim said: "I don't feel like the same person since the incident. Since this happened, that feeling of safety has gone. Being in a confined space with a woman makes me feel extremely uncomfortable." He said the anxiety became too much and he eventually had to stop working as a taxi driver, adding that he suffered from anxiety and nightmares and felt "embarrassed" and unable to engage in intimate relationships with women since the event.
Sentence and collapse in court
Matt O'Neill, defending, said Richards had been a victim of domestic abuse, had attempted suicide previously, and had lost her good character due to issues with alcohol. He urged the judge to impose a community order, saying the offences were committed while she was highly intoxicated.
Judge Menary said the assault had a serious impact on the victim, adding: "It proves the point that sexual assault, whether committed by a woman or a man, on a woman or a man, is a very serious thing." Richards received an 18-month community order and a six-month alcohol abstinence requirement. She collapsed and sobbed when told she would be on the Sex Offenders' Register for five years, and court officials had to escort her from the room.
