Lady Cabbie Fondled By Blind Passenger

A blind serial groper, who grabbed his female mini-cab driver’s breasts a she drove him to his mother’s house, has been sent to a secure hospital for psychiatric treatment.

Neil Middlehurst, 55, of Boundary Road, Wallington has an obsession with fondling women – often innocent Good Samaritan’s assisting him – and has twice previously been jailed.

He appeared at Croydon Crown Court (pictured) after being convicted at Sutton Magistrates’ Court to indecently assaulting the driver on November 13, last year and breaching an ASBO prohibiting such conduct.

Prosecutor Miss Shahnaz Ahmed told the court Springfield Hospital, Tooting booked a mini-cab to take Middlehurst home for the weekend to visit his 84 year-old mother.

“The victim says during the journey he touched her on the top of her thigh and she told him: ‘Keep your hands to yourself’.

“He then grabbed her left breast and she says she knew it was not an accident,” added the prosecutor.

When they arrived at Boundary Road Middlehurst’s mother was not at home and the driver was groped again as she leaned into the car. “He grabbed her left breast again.”

A male driver returned the defendant to Springfield Hospital, where concerned staff called police.

Middlehurst told officers: “I don’t know why I did this.”

Afterwards the victim told police: “More needs to be done, I was incredibly angry at what he has done and with the hospital for letting this happen.”

In June 2004 he was sentenced to sixteen months imprisonment for three counts of indecent assault on women helping him cross the road.

He was also jailed for a year in 2001 for a similar offence.

Dr. Paul Cantrell of Woodleigh Community Hospital, Elmwood Road, Croydon, where Middlehurst will be treated, told the court: “Throughout his life he has offended in a similar fashion.

“I think there is a link between his mental condition and his offending,” added the doctor who will treat the defendant for a bipolar disorder.

“This was a nasty offence as far as the victim was concerned and must have frightened her,” Judge Nicholas Ainley told Middlehurst.

Making the Section 37 Hospital Order the Judge added: “We can imagine how terrified any other potential victim would be and there would be one without a treatment and hospital order. You have a compulsion.”

Judge Ainley also made a Section 41 order, forcing Middlehurst to apply to an independent tribunal before he can be considered for release.