A former Uber Eats delivery driver has been convicted and fined for attempting to kiss a customer at her front door in an incident described by the court as completely inappropriate behaviour.
Court delivers strong message on consent
Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker made it clear during Thursday's sentencing that such conduct was unacceptable in modern society. "There is such a clear public message about the question of consent," she told the ACT Magistrates Court. "We don't live in a world where men can just walk up and kiss women."
The magistrate convicted 26-year-old Jasbir Jasbir and handed him an $800 fine for attempting to commit an act of indecency without consent. The court heard the incident occurred when Jasbir attended the victim's hotel room to deliver food.
The disturbing incident details
According to court proceedings, Jasbir placed his hand on the back of the complete stranger's neck and tried to kiss her at her front door. The woman only avoided the unwanted intimate act by ducking away from his advance.
During the hearing, prosecutor Tahni Whybrow argued that Jasbir had not shown proper insight into his offending and had sought some level of gratification through his non-consensual conduct.
Defence solicitor Tim Sharman told the court his client had shown immediate remorse for his actions. However, Chief Magistrate Walker noted that while Jasbir expressed being apologetic if he had caused harm, he hadn't fully accepted that his actions constituted criminal behaviour.
Consequences and context
The court heard that Jasbir, who lives in Australia on a student visa, is a well-educated man with degrees in commerce and journalism. He has no prior criminal history but was suspended from working for Uber following the complaint against him.
Chief Magistrate Walker emphasized that both general and specific deterrence were important considerations in the sentencing exercise. The conviction serves as a warning to others in similar positions of trust within the gig economy.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about safety protocols within food delivery services and the importance of maintaining professional boundaries during customer interactions.
