An Indian taxi driver who sexually assaulted a drunk female passenger in Melbourne before stealing her engagement ring will walk free from jail in just five months.
Satinder Satinder, 29, on Monday pleaded guilty to non-consensual sexual touching and theft in Melbourne Magistrates Court where he was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment, including about five months already served.
Magistrate Kay Robertson called his crimes “repulsive and as wrong as could possibly be”, but said in sentencing she had considered the deterioration of the immigrant sex predator’s mental health while behind bars, where he was isolated in protective custody due to threats from other inmates, The Age reported.
She also said he had been the victim of racism during his time spent in jail so far.
“You have had to be kept in a secure cell, in part because you are of a different colour to other prisoners, and in part because word has got out about the type of offence you have committed,” she said, and noted the maximum sentence in the magistrates court was two years.
Satinder, a father of one, was caught on his in-taxi CCTV subjecting his victim, now 30, to a horrific 45-minute ordeal after picking her up from Collins St in Melbourne’s CBD at 3.30am on June 27. He was arrested at Tullamarine Airport trying to flee the country on June 29.
Court documents stated the woman was “clearly intoxicated” but nevertheless attempted to push Satinder’s hands away as he repeatedly groped her, thrusting his hands underneath her shirt and pants.
Satinder then took three minutes to remove her engagement ring, and shoved his face into her breasts after pulling her top down.
In statement read to the court by the prosecutor the victim said: “Someone took advantage of me in what should have been a safe place.
“My experience as a mother and partner has been forever altered. I no longer feel like I can provide the kind of security and safety I want for my children. I push myself to keep going, but I don’t feel OK.
“The shame I feel is overwhelming, but so is the anger. Someone took these actions that turned my life upside down, and now I carry the weight of their choices.”
Satinder will be deported after completing his sentence, which is expected to be served entirely in protective custody.
Header image: Left, Satinder Satinder in court (7News). Right, Melbourne Magistrates Court. By Canley – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
