An Indian driving assessor has resigned from his position as a Perth local councillor after being convicted of groping three women while they were taking their tests in a car with him.
Tamak Vijay, 39, was on Monday found guilty of three counts of indecent assault in Perth Magistrates Court and fined $6,000, but the City of Belmont found there were no grounds for his disqualification since he had not committed a serious local government offence or an offence carrying a penalty of more than five years’ jail.
However, the council revealed on Thursday that Vijay had resigned by email the night before, saying: “I strongly believe this is in the best interest of the city and its people.”
Vijay’s lawyer told the court the trial was “very traumatic” for him, and said he was unlikely to work as a driving assessor again, and sought a spent conviction, ABC News reported.
Magistrate Andrew Matthews, who described the offences as a “clear breach of trust”, refused the application, saying Vijay would have to “put the offending behind you” and move on with his life.
Vijay has denied physical contact with his victims, pleaded not guilty, did not give evidence, and no longer works for the Department of Transport.
During the trial the court heard that Vijay indecently touched three overseas-born women during their assessments, including one victim who had only been in Perth six months.
His first victim told the court Vijay squeezed her upper thigh for six seconds, the second testified that Vijay groped her at least three times, and the third made similar claims.
All three women passed their assessments.
Vijay will be replaced on the City of Belmont Council by the 2023 local election runner-up for the position, Jarod Harris.
