Irish taxi driver jailed for sexually assaulting female passenger (18)

A Donegal taxi driver who sexually assaulted an 18-year-old woman passenger while bringing her to Derry has been jailed at the local Crown Court.

Paul Bryan (63) of The Bungalow, Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal admitted two charges of sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault that occurred on October 22, 2017.

Before passing sentence Judge Neil Rafferty KC told the young woman that she had been totally vindicated by the defendant's guilty plea.

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He read from her personal statement in which she said she was not a victim but a survivor. 

In her statement she said: "I was a victim for a few hours, I am a survivor for seven years."

The judge also apologised for the delay in the case and said he understood how that had "put your life on hold."

He told the young woman that this was "a horrible incident that did not define her". 

Turning to the facts if the case the judge said that on October 22, 2017 the young woman had gone to Letterkenny with friends and had consumed alcohol. 

She had become separated from her friends and decided to get a taxi to take her back to Derry.

She flagged a taxi down outside a night club and there were witnesses who saw her entering the vehicle. 

On the journey back to Derry, Bryan sexually assaulted the woman and behaved "inappropriately."

In his first interview Bryan said there had been sexual activity but claimed it was consensual but later admitted the offences. 

Judge Rafferty said that there were "significant aggravating factors" in the case including the fact Bryan was a taxi driver and there was a breach of trust in that he had taken advantage of a young woman who was "extremely vulnerable due to her age and alcohol."

He said the incident had had "a significant effect" on the young woman's life and she had been entitled to think she was safe in a taxi.

He described the case as one of "high harm and high culpability" and sentenced Bryan to four years with half of that to be served in custody and half on licence.

He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offender's Register for a period of 10 years and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order was imposed for the same period.