Taxi driver Baljeet Singh denies groping radio host Jay-Jay Feeney

Taxi driver Baljeet Singh pictured yesterday at the start of his trial in the Auckland District Court. Photo / Jason Oxenham

A police interview with taxi driver Baljeet Singh, made on the day of his arrest, in which he claimed Jay-Jay Feeney was verbally abusive to other drivers and was "very drunk" when he drove her home, has been played in court.

Singh's trial for allegedly indecently assaulting the radio host began yesterday 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, denies the charge and pleaded not guilty last year.

Police officer Tavae Tavae told the court about searching Singh's home.

He had met the taxi driver on his front steps and explained the warrant which led to the seizure of two phones, a USB drive and his silver Prius vehicle.

Tavae said that at one point Singh had wanted to speak in private.

"He wanted to speak in private because his mother had come out from the house as well.

"He didn't want his mother to hear what we were talking about."

In the video interview conducted on November 30 last year, Singh's answers were relayed to Tavae with the assistance of a translator who spoke Punjabi.

The translator also worked as a police communicator for northern communications, the court heard.

Singh said that he could not exactly remember working two months prior but said he would have been working as per his routine.

He was then shown a photo of Feeney and asked if he recognised her.

He told police that she "waved him down" and had been refused by other taxi drivers for swearing and being verbally abusive, the translator said.

"She was just going on and on about the same thing - about being rejected," the translator relayed.

He did not know she had been refused by other drivers until she told him herself in the taxi, Singh told the translator.

Feeney was "very drunk" and stumbled when out of the car, falling backwards and grabbing on to the car for support, Singh said.

He said he had helped her cross the road.

He denied commenting on Feeney's breasts.

"I didn't say anything of that sort."

He also denied asking to touch her breasts.

"No nothing like that happened. I did not touch her at all."

When asked why he remembered her, Singh said it was because she was drunk.

"These kinds of customers do stand out in a crowd."

A customer before her had given the wrong address, Singh said.

In the interview Singh said he had worked for Central Smart Cabs when he picked up Feeney but worked for Reliable Cabs at the time of his arrest.

Earlier today senior constable Reginald Alofa told the court that a specialist had tried to extract the footage of inside taxi from the hard drive in the car.

"He was unsuccessful in doing so."

Yesterday, Crown prosecutor Nick Webby made his opening address.

Radio host Jay-Jay Feeney. Photo / Doug Sherring

Webby said on September 30 last year, Feeney had been out for dinner with a friend in Ponsonby before returning home in a taxi.

Feeney told the court she "was obviously drunk" but did not have a "blank" in her recollection of the evening.

In the car on the way home, Singh had asked her about her relationship status before complimenting Feeney on her looks, the court heard.

"He was commenting on how beautiful I was and how I had nice breasts," Feeney said, adding Singh was stroking her hand.

Feeney told the court it made her uncomfortable and that later Singh had told her she did not have to pay for the trip.

"No pay, I touch your breasts," Feeney recalled Singh saying.

"It took me a couple of minutes to convince him to take my card off me."

After paying, Feeney said: "He reached over and put his hand down my top, under my bra."

Yesterday Singh's lawyer defence counsel Marie Dyhrberg QC said the alleged offence "absolutely did not happen".

"The issue for you is, did in fact this touching occur and the defence says absolutely not," she told the jury.