Trial begins of taxi driver charged with rape

Prosecutors claim Malcolm Hancock "forced himself" on the woman, who it was said was "seven out of ten" drunk, after she got into the car.

Prosecutor Paul Abrahams told jurors the alleged victim, who cannot be named, believes she bit Hancock's private parts "although not hard” before she got out of the car.

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 himself upon the complainant after he had given her a fare home and orally raped her in his taxi."

The court heard the woman had been drinking before she got into the cab and her memory is affected by alcohol.

Mr Abrahams said Hancock had asked if he could come into the woman's home when they pulled up outside but she refused.

It is claimed he then committed the offence.

Mr Abrahams added: "Confused by what was going on, it took a moment for her to respond.”

He said she 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.

She said: "I don't even think I bit hard. I was thinking 'should I bite it', I went to bite it.

"If I did bite it I didn't bite hard."

The woman accepted her memory of what happened was hazy and added: "I just know what happened shouldn't have happened."

Hancock was traced and questioned within hours of the attack.

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.

Hancock claimed the woman had briefly performed oral sex on him but he stopped her after "two or three seconds".

The trial continues.

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