Capalaba man in court for assaulting an Uber driver on Australia Day last year

A court has heard how a young carpenter attempted to kiss a 60-year-old female Uber driver before violently attacking her, forcing his mates to drag him from the vehicle to stop the assault.

Capalaba carpenter Jordan de Buriatte, 22, pleaded guilty today in Cleveland Magistrates Court to serious assault of a person over 60. Picture: Facebook

A 60-YEAR-OLD female Uber driver who was physically assaulted by a 21-year-old Capalaba man she had driven home from a party asked her attacker if he was OK after he was pulled from the car by his frantic friends as they tried to stop the assault.

Jordan de Buriatte, 22, a full-time carpenter, appearing via telephone, pleaded guilty today in Cleveland Magistrates Court to serious assault of a person over 60 for the Australia Day 2019 incident. He was fined $500. No conviction was recorded.

The court heard that the 60-year-old victim picked up a “very drunk” de Buriatte and three of his friends at about 7pm from an acreage property at Korsman Dr, Thornlands.

The driver pleaded with de Buriatte and his friends to settle down throughout the journey, and stopped at an ATM and McDonald’s on the way to a Redland Bay address.

When the front passenger went to get out, de Buriatte, who was sitting in the middle seat in the back, leaned forward and asked for a kiss.

When the passenger declined, de Buriatte asked for a kiss from his driver, who scolded him.

De Buriatte then reached around the driver’s seat and grabbed her around the waist, put his other forearm around her neck, and held his fist against her chin for a period of about five seconds, causing swelling and bruising.

His three panicked friends wrenched him from the car so violently onto the footpath that de Buriatte’s victim asked them if he was okay before driving off.

In a letter read to the court, de Buriatte said he was “disgusted” by his drunken actions.

He was ordered to pay the driver $1000 compensation also.

Police prosecutor Katherine Steele said the nature of the offence was “quite significant”.

“It is not only against a member of the community it is also against a woman who was just trying to do her job,” she told the court.

“Uber drivers generally are in a vulnerable position and the same with taxi drivers.

“There should be a deterrent for this type of behaviour.”

Magistrate Deborah Vasta said de Buriatte’s momentary actions against his victim could have derailed his life.

“At about 7pm on Australia Day this poor woman has picked you up,” Ms Vasta said.

“As a female Uber driver I am sure her safety is at the forefront of her mind and at that time I am sure she was comfortable working until you and your drunk mates got into her vehicle.

“This seems to have started as a bit of larrikinism but within the space of few seconds you’ve potentially changed the course of your future.”