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Home / New Zealand

Radio host Jay-Jay Feeney testifies in indecent assault trial of Auckland taxi driver

NZ Herald
27 Aug, 2019 01:00 AM5 mins to read

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Auckland taxi driver Baljeet Singh is accused of groping one of his passengers, well-known radio host Jay-Jay Feeney. Photos / NZ Herald

Auckland taxi driver Baljeet Singh is accused of groping one of his passengers, well-known radio host Jay-Jay Feeney. Photos / NZ Herald

Radio personality Jay-Jay Feeney believed she was going to be raped by her taxi driver after a night out in Ponsonby, a court has heard.

Baljeet Singh, 29, is on trial in the Auckland District Court this week and faces one charge of indecent assault, laid after an incident during the early hours of October 1, 2017.

"Do you remember that night?" Crown prosecutor Claire Paterson asked Feeney today.

"Yes I do," the radio host for the More FM's drive show replied.

She went on to recall spending the evening of September 30 on Ponsonby Rd, having dinner with friends and drinking at a few popular bars along the well-known strip.

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At about 1am she left the Ponsonby Social Club and attempted to hail a cab and go home to her apartment in Grey Lynn, the court heard.

After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, she hopped into Singh's taxi.

"I was feeling fine, like obviously I'd had a few drinks. I was just actually really quite tired that night ... I was feeling fine, happy," Feeney said when questioned about how much alcohol she had drunk.

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"Obviously I'd had a few drinks, so I would've been intoxicated, but I don't think I was really drunk. I wasn't being silly, I wasn't falling over or anything like that."

Feeney said she didn't have any worries about sitting in the front seat of Singh's car.

"I didn't have any concerns at all, I often would sit in the back of a taxi, but I didn't have any concerns," she said.

During the initial ride to Feeney's Grey Lynn apartment she and Singh were "just having a little bit of chat or banter" about the night and Feeney's trouble with catching a taxi.

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"I thought he was quite friendly and chatty," Feeney said.

"I thought it was quite nice because sometimes you get in and they don't really say anything."

However, Feeney said Singh's topic of conversation then turned.

"Are you single, or do you have a boyfriend," she said Singh asked her.

After telling Singh she was recently separated from her husband, Dom Harvey, he allegedly said: "I'll be your boyfriend, I'll be your boyfriend."

"Nah, nah, nah - it's bit weird - nah, nah, nah it's all good," Feeney said she replied.

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Then, with her hands in her lap, Singh reached over and stroked her hand, she told the court.

"That's when I started to become worried," she said. "I was starting to become quite concerned."

She said she told him: "No, no, no."

But Singh, Feeney continued, persisted with his advances.

"You're really beautiful," she said Singh uttered.

"Then he said, 'you have really nice breasts' ... That's when I thought, 'okay, he's actually gone too far now'."

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Feeney told the jury she wondered how she could remove herself from the situation.

"I was feeling really uncomfortable."

But Singh, she said, continued.

"I touch your breasts, I touch your breasts," Feeney said Singh told her.

After arriving at her home and Singh parking across the road, Feeney said she was anxious to pay and leave.

"I was quite keen to pay and go," she said. "So I got my Eftpos out."

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But she said Singh didn't want her money.

"No pay, I touch your breasts. No pay, I touch your breasts," Feeney said Singh told her.

Feeney said she replied: "No, I'm paying."

It took her "a while to convince him", she added.

Then, Singh allegedly "leaned down and put his hand down into my bra".

Immediately afterwards, Feeney said Singh asked her for her phone number.

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"I was so panicked and I just made up a number off the top of my head which he dialled."

"Oh, you've given me the wrong number," Singh said, according to Feeney.

As Feeney left the cab, she said her driver followed her across the road.

"I was walking very quickly, as quickly as I could go without running," Feeney told the court.

After returning to apartment she peered out her window.

"He was standing in the middle of the road, in between the white lines, staring up," Feeney said of Singh.

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The radio host said she felt awful, in shock, and traumatised.

"I felt kinda lucky I had escaped to be honest."

Shortly after Feeney texted her husband, Dom.

"Just had a terrible experience with my taxi driver, honestly thought I was going to be raped," she wrote.

The next day she considered what she should do, but decided against making a complaint with the police or cab company.

"I didn't want to waste their time, I know the police are really busy," she said. "I'm not someone who likes to cause trouble."

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But, she did post about her experience on Facebook.

"What a creep, did he drive taxis for the purpose of preying on girls?" Feeney wrote.

After the social media statement was seen by thousands police left a message on Feeney's phone for her to call them.

When questioned by police Singh confirmed Feeney was one of his passengers but denied any wrongdoing whatsoever, the court heard.

His defence counsel Marie Dyhrberg QC told the jury yesterday that Feeney was lying.

"One party is truthful, the other party is lying," Dyhrberg said.

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"Jay-Jay Harvey is lying when she says the defendant touched her breast on that evening.

"Can you trust what she says? The defence says absolutely not."

The trial, with Judge Claire Ryan presiding, continues this week.

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