Extradited former Perth cab driver jailed for rape
District Court Judge Troy Sweeney said she accepted that Singh's upbringing had played a role, and that he was not educated in regards to what Australians consider "fully informed consent".
A former Perth taxi driver has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail over the sexual and indecent assault of two female passengers in 2011. Key points:
Singardeep Singh, 31, raped 18yo after dropping her friend off
Singh's lawyer said he experienced cultural dislocation after coming to Australia
Judge said while upbringing played a role, ignorance was no excuse
Singardeep Singh, 31, fled Australia the day after committing the offences but was extradited from India to Perth in August 2015 to face the charges.
The District Court heard that shortly after midnight on January 8, Singh picked up a 20-year-old woman from Northbridge.
He asked her questions of a sexual nature, touched her thigh and rubbed his groin during the journey.
The woman rejected his advances and he eventually dropped her home.
She informed Swan Taxis about the incident and the company reported it to police.
Less than half an hour after the first incident, Singh picked up an 18-year-old woman and her friend in Northbridge.
After dropping her friend off, he stopped at a park in Dianella and raped the teenager.
She reported the matter to police, who went to his home in Queens Park but released him without charge.
The following day Singh fled to his home country.
Defence lawyer Shane Adam told the court that Singh, who was a university graduate, was raised in a strict Sikh community in Punjab where sex was never discussed, nor viewed on television, and women always dressed "conservatively".
Singh told his lawyer in his Punjab community that if a woman wore a bikini she was assumed to be a prostitute.
Mr Adam told the court when Singh came to Australia in 2008 he experienced a culture shock, in the way people spoke, conducted themselves and dressed.
State prosecutor Glenn Lloyd said it was difficult to accept that cultural dislocation was the reason behind the attacks, as Singh had been in the country for years before the incidents.
District Court Judge Troy Sweeney said she accepted that Singh's upbringing had played a role, and that he was not educated in regards to what Australians consider "fully informed consent".
