Nabeel Anjum pleads guilty to sexually assaulting a woman at Broadmeadows’ Magistrates’ Court

A grub taxi driver who sexually assaulted a ‘vulnerable’ woman on her ride home has been told his victim was “absolutely terrified of being raped”.

Nabeel Anjum pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court. Photo: Facebook

A Pakistani taxi driver who sexually assaulted a “vulnerable” woman on her ride home has been told his victim was “absolutely terrified she will be raped”.

Nabeel Anjum, 29, last week pleaded guilty in the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court to sexually assaulting a woman.

In September last year, Anjum picked up his victim in his taxi from Queen St and sexually assaulted her.

The court heard Anjum’s victim was sitting in the back seat when the taxi driver asked her to come to the front seat.

CCTV footage played in court showed Anjum sexually touching the woman, holding her mouth and kissing her as she moved away. Anjum then kissed her neck as she pulled away.

Nabeel Anjum fronted Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court. Photo: Facebook

The police prosecutor said Anjum also sexually massaged the woman’s breast and groped her buttocks without her consent.

Anjum’s defence lawyer said his client thought the victim was giving her consent.

“He was born in Pakistan and came to Australia seven years ago to study and finished his diploma. He got married in 2022 and has been driving taxis ever since,” he said.

“His wife is seven months pregnant and they are expecting a child soon. She has forgiven him and is supporting him in court today.”

His heavily pregnant wife sat holding Anjum’s hand while the court went through the CCTV footage of the sexual assault.

Anjum’s lawyer told the court he was working towards his permanent residency.

“He wants to avoid conviction because he will not get permanent residency (if convicted) and will have to go back to Pakistan. He is remorseful,” he said.

Magistrate Julie Grainger said it was imperative to protect the community and women in particular from sexual offences.

“We can't have Uber taxi drivers or anyone driving women around late at night and behaving in this manner,” she said.

Ms Grainger said the court denounced Anjum’s serious offending, and that it was “utterly unacceptable to touch a woman without her consent, especially sexually”.

“I accept she was not strongly going ‘no’, she told the prosecutor that she didn't want to make matters worse, I think she was sitting in the car absolutely terrified she will be raped. The way she handled it was she let you do whatever you wanted,”

“She did everything she could so things didn't get worse. Maybe you thought she was enjoying it but she was not and it’s clear to me in the video,”

“Woman have to feel safe when they are getting in a taxi or uber when she was sitting in the back, you should have never asked her to sit in the front,”

“You took advantage of someone who was very vulnerable and not to mention how your behaviour has affected your wife.”
Ms Grainger said she was sending a message to all the men in the community that this behaviour will not be tolerated.

“It’s likely even without a conviction your permanent residency application will be unsuccessful and you will never drive a taxi again,” Ms Grainger said.

“If you reoffend you will not receive a no conviction next time and you will be back in Pakistan before you can blink, abandoning your child and wife”.

Anjum was put on a community corrections order for 18 months without a conviction recorded.