Taxi driver allegedly raped by passenger suing 13cabs

A taxi driver who was allegedly raped by a customer mid-fare is suing 13cabs after her boss allegedly disclosed the assault to customers and staff who then asked her if “she put out as well as they had heard”.

Mother of eight Nikkita Maggs was allegedly raped by a passenger while driving her taxi in Bairnsdale in February last year. Picture: Supplied

A taxi driver who was allegedly raped by a customer mid-fare has launched legal action against 13cabs after her boss allegedly disclosed the assault to customers and staff who then asked her if “she put out as well as they had heard”.

Mother of eight Nikkita Maggs, 34, had been driving two people between destinations across the Bairnsdale area just before 4am on February 18 last year when one of the men allegedly sexually assaulted her once his mate got out of her cab.

Ms Maggs told police he began groping her aggressively while she was driving, before he ordered her to pull over near Bairnsdale-Dargo Rd.

The man then allegedly raped a terrified Ms Maggs, breaking some of her front teeth during the ordeal, before throwing a $20 at her and threatening to track down her address before getting out of the car.

Speaking through tears, Ms Maggs told the Herald Sun: “All I could think about was that I was going to die”.

Ms Maggs feared she was going to die during the alleged attack. Picture: Supplied

She told police: “I felt that I was going to crash the car … I was swerving all over the road”.

Ms Maggs reported the alleged rape to her boss at 13cabs, who then allegedly said she would not have been raped if she had attended self defence classes.

The manager allegedly disclosed the incident to other 13cabs staff and regular customers, who made jokes and asked Ms Maggs whether she “put out as well as they had heard about”.

Ms Maggs said she also launched a WorkCover claim for medical expenses and compensation against 13cabs because they would have realised she had been parked in the same place for almost two hours if they actively tracked the man’s fare from their Bairnsdale base.

She claimed she could not press a panic button on her cab’s console because the alleged rapist had turned off the device.

She filed a complaint with Victoria’s anti-corruption body IBAC over claims investigating officers treated the alleged incident as “rough consensual sex” and that she was forced to report the allegations to a male officer.

Ms Maggs has also launched a WorkCover claim for medical expenses and compensation against 13cabs. Picture: Supplied

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said a man had been interviewed about the alleged rape.

No arrests were made and the investigation was closed due to insufficient evidence, but the spokeswoman said it would be reopened if new evidence emerged.

Ms Maggs said she continued to suffer the fallout from the alleged violent rape, fearing she would unknowingly cross paths with her rapist in the community.

“I’m in constant pain. I have broken teeth that are still getting repaired. I have ongoing medical appointments,” she said.

“It has taken a really big toll on my kids because I get anxious if we have to go anywhere.

“I’m so petrified that he’s going to come to my house.”

Ms Maggs’ lawyer Ciara Smith of Arnold Thomas and Becker said: “While no amount of compensation can undo the trauma she has endured, it is vital that we continue to advocate for a justice system where victims are supported and believed”.

A 13cabs spokeswoman said the company was “deeply concerned” about Ms Maggs' allegations but could not comment further because the case was investigated by police.

“13cabs takes all allegations of safety issues, including sexual assault, extremely seriously,” she said.