A black cab driver has been jailed for nine months for indecently assaulting a 20-year-old passenger.

Perry Francis, 37 of Stiven Crescent, South Harrow was jailed at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday last week. He also has to sign on to the sex offenders' register for the next seven years.

At an earlier trial he was found guilty by a jury of indecently assaulting the woman near her Ealing home on August 13 last year.

He denied the charge but has since had his cab licences withdrawn.

Jailing him Judge David Miller said: 'The victim of this offence had to go a function in central London which meant she was late returning home.

'She deliberately arranged her journey so as to bring her to Ealing Broadway station where she could get a black cab. To her mind and to that of most women, if they take a black cab they feel safe and secure.

'But you behaved towards that young woman in a disgraceful way. First there was inappropriate conversation. But matters progressed beyond that.

'You kissed her on her cheek and neck. You said you liked her and you usually got what you liked. This young woman was very frightened indeed.

'But,' continued the Judge, 'She kept her presence of mind and pretended to go along with you. She took a circuitous route home and when she got in did not put the lights on but telephoned her parents who came round to comfort their daughter.

'The serious nature of this offence is that this young woman was a total stranger and she relied on you as a black cab driver, to give her a sense of security, and this happened at about 3am in a deserted street.

'You were a black cab driver who had been working in London for some ten years,' the Judge went on. 'You betrayed her trust and behaved in a disgraceful way. The courts have a clear duty to try to ensure that this sort of behaviour does not take place.'