An Uber driver took advantage of a blind female passenger by using her phone to give himself a £20 tip and a five-star rating, a court heard yesterday.
Romanian-born Cornel Mihai, 31, allegedly tricked the vulnerable woman into handing over the phone by claiming his own device was not working.
Mihai, of Thorpe Road, Barking denies giving himself the unauthorised tip and rating, claiming he only handled the phone briefly to plug it into a charger.
Prosecutor Julie Idowu told Wimbledon Magistrates Court: “The Crown put this case as deliberate targeting of a vulnerable victim.
“The defendant had been an Uber driver on that day and the complainant, who is registered blind, uses Uber to get around London.
“The defendant collected her and he asked her about her blindness, which has been from birth, throughout the journey and she said she did not want to talk about it anymore.
“He said he could not use his device and asked to use her phone to complete the journey.
“In that forty-five seconds he paid himself the fare, a twenty pounds tip she did not authorise and a five-star rating.”
Mihai pleaded not guilty to fraud by false representation, intending to make a gain, on June 26 in Glenthorne Avenue, Addiscombe, Croydon.
He was bailed to return to the same court for trial on February 21, next year.
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