Fake Uber driver claims his stomach made sex assaults impossible
A fake Uber driver says it was impossible to force women to touch his genitals because he needed both hands to hold his stomach out of the way.
Sampath Sandaruwan Samaranayake, 44, admitted posing as an Uber driver to lure women from one of Brisbane's busiest party precincts in the early hours in September 2018.
Five separate women gave evidence claiming he forced them to touch him on the ride home.
He also allegedly touched, kissed and exposed himself to the women, with some claiming they had been locked in the car.
Samaranayake denied the claims in the Brisbane District Court, pleading not guilty to charges including sexual assault and deprivation of liberty.
He also denied trapping the women, saying the locking mechanism could not stop passengers from getting out.
'They were free to get out and leave any time they wanted," he told the jury.
The father of two took the stand on Wednesday, admitting Uber rejected his application because his 2007 Land Rover was considered too old.
The full-time chef said he was under financial pressure and needed a second job to pay to have skin folds removed when he started his own rideshare scheme.
He would trawl the nightclub precinct looking for passengers waiting for Uber drivers and offered to take them home for a cash fee.
Samaranayake would discuss his weight loss and how conscious he remained about the 25 to 30 kilos of skin folds left on his body.
He claimed the women enjoyed chatting, and his alleged victims tried to touch him to comfort him.
"(One woman) was aggressive and said to me, 'I understand your situation, no problem. I can help you'," he said.
"When I pull up my shirt, she can't even see ... my stomach is not like a normal stomach.
"I had to grab my stomach with both hands (to allow her to touch him)," he told the jury.
In closing, crown prosecutor Sandra Cupina said it was unlikely that five separate women would offer a "sympathy" sex act to a total stranger, and the jury should reject his evidence.
"It's implausible that they would touch his body in any way unless he forced them," she said.
Defence barrister Peter Nolan said his client had behavioural issues.
"He obviously had issues that caused him to act in a way that you might find a bit odd or bizarre, but that doesn't mean he is criminal," Mr Nolan said.
Judge Tony Moynihan summed up the case before the jury retired on Wednesday afternoon.
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