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Jury to decide if taxi driver groped Jay-Jay Feeney

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Wed, 8 Aug 2018, 11:04AM
Taxi driver Baljeet Singh pictured at the start of his trial in the Auckland District Court. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Taxi driver Baljeet Singh pictured at the start of his trial in the Auckland District Court. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Jury to decide if taxi driver groped Jay-Jay Feeney

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Wed, 8 Aug 2018, 11:04AM

The jury has retired to decide if taxi driver Baljeet Singh indecently assaulted Jay-Jay Feeney.

Singh's trial for allegedly indecently assaulting the radio host began on Monday in the Auckland District Court before a jury and Judge Nevin Dawson.

Feeney, the long-time host of The Edge's breakfast show, waived her right to suppression and had talked about her allegations on social media.

She now hosts a drive-time show with Jason Gunn.

Singh, 28, denied the charge and pleaded not guilty last year.

Today Judge Dawson provided the summation of the opposing arguments for the jury.

"There is really only one issue in this trial and that is did Mr Singh touch Ms Harvey's [Feeney's] breast?"

The Crown submitted that Feeney has been "consistent, candid and straight-up" throughout the trial.

The Crown said Feeney was upfront and did not shy away from questions, Judge Dawson said.

The judge said she was clear about how much she had to drink but did not have any "blanks" in her recollection.

In communications with her ex-husband she "told it like it was".

She has never resiled from her evidence about being indecently assaulted, Judge Dawson said.

The defence submits that Singh having been publicly and falsely accused "is living every man's worst nightmare".

"The defence case is that no such touching happened," Judge Dawson said.

"The fact that Ms Harvey [Feeney] publicly told people she had been indecently assaulted does not make an untruth a truth."

The defence case is that her claim is unsubstantiated, unreliable and strongly denied.

She then goes public on her Facebook page telling the world what happened but does not got to the police.

The publicity it generated, brought it to the attention of police.

"He has consistently denied the allegation."

Singh accepted there was personal banter between him and and perhaps too flirtatious

"It is submitted Mr Singh was simply trying to calm her down."

The defence submitted that false allegations could become entrenched and it this case a drunken text to an ex-husband simply gone out off control, Judge Dawson said.

Judge Dawson said Singh had chosen not to give evidence but

"The fact he did not give evidence proves nothing at all."

Feeney gave her evidence with a screen to part her for seeing him, and had a victim support person with her, Judge Dawson said.

"It is not something you should read anything into."

The jury has now retired to consider a verdict.

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