A rideshare driver has been arrested and charged over the alleged sexual assault of his teenage passenger on Sydney’s north shore. Police allege that a 17-year-old girl ordered a DiDi driver to take her to work in North Sydney on Tuesday morning. When she was dropped off, she immediately called police to report an aggravated assault.
The driver, a 50-year-old father from Mongolia, was arrested at Sydney Airport on Wednesday night. He had been dropping off another paying passenger more than 24 hours after the alleged assault.
In a statement, the rideshare service confirmed that the driver was immediately suspended from the platform following his arrest. “We then worked closely with law enforcement in its investigation into the matter,” DiDi said. “The safety of the entire ridesharing community is always our top priority. All passengers should feel safe and respected during their trip, and we will continue our mission to maximise the safety of our platform for the wellbeing of our passengers. We will continue to work with law enforcement and the regulator in their continued investigations and provide support to the passenger when needed.”
The man was arrested at Sydney Airport. Credit: 7NEWS. The man will remain behind bars for at least the next month, facing what a magistrate described on Thursday as “very serious allegations”. He has no prior criminal history but faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted. The investigation is ongoing.
