Married Uber driver Anil Elavithungal Thomas, an Indian immigrant, was found not guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl after claiming he ‘couldn’t resist’ the teenage passenger when she ‘propositioned him’ and performed oral sex
BRISBANE – An Uber driver who was accused of raping a 16-year-old girl during a ride to her friend’s house has been found not guilty of all charges.
Anil Elavithungal Thomas, who had been charged with five counts of sexual assault, two counts of rape, and one count of attempted rape, was acquitted following a three-day trial in Brisbane District Court on Thursday.
The married man had been accused of raping a teenage passenger after picking her up from a supermarket in Manly West in July 2017.
During his trial, Thomas did not deny the encounter occurred but instead argued it was consensual and claimed the teen had propositioned him.
The married Uber driver had been charged with five counts of sexual assault, two counts of rape, and one count of attempted rape, after a 16-year-old girl claimed he raped her during a trip to Manly West in 2017
He claimed he had rejected the girl’s sexual advances twice before he ultimately ‘lost control’ because he couldn’t ‘resist her,’ the Courier Mail reported.
The pair did not have sexual intercourse but Thomas said he kissed the girl and claimed she performed oral sex on him.
During an opening statement on Monday, prosecutors told the court that Thomas had been driving the girl to her friend’s house when he took a detour to an isolated area near her destination.
Crown prosecutor Jessica Goldie argued Thomas told the girl he had been going through a breakup and was feeling horny and said she could help him.
Thomas was alleged to have turned off the Uber meter before turning to kiss the teen who had been sitting in the passenger seat. He then proceeded to sexually assault her, Goldie claimed.
The girl was then driven back to her friend’s house and she made a police report a few days later.
Thomas’s defence attorney asked the jury to not let his client’s status as an Indian immigrant and his unfaithfulness to his wife cloud their judgment.
He said Thomas’s arguments made ‘logical sense in the context of what you know about life and people,’ adding that ‘young people do stupid things’.
