Taxi driver escapes assault charges on air hostesses

Zulfiqar Khan allegedly attacked two air hostesses over a dispute about correct change. Photo / Janna Dixon

Police are considering re-laying charges against a taxi driver accused of attacking two air hostesses, after his case was thrown out of court this week.

Zulfiqar Khan, 36, was charged with assaulting Alexis Hickman-Green and Rebeka Raiwalui outside Auckland's SkyCity casino on May 9.

The women allege Khan hit one of them in the face and grabbed the other's throat.

Raiwalui said the attack was a result of a dispute over Khan not giving the women their correct change.

Khan pleaded not guilty to both charges, saying he acted in self-defence, and a hearing was scheduled in the Auckland District Court on Friday. But Judge Kerr dismissed both charges when he learned a witness was sick and the police prosecutor had filed a late application to have the hearing adjourned to a later date.

Police would not comment on the case on Friday.

However, Khan's lawyer Michelle Clark said it was possible police would re-lay the charges.

She said Khan was "very relieved" the charges had been dismissed at this stage.

"However, he did arrive at court [on Friday] with the intention of proceeding with the defended hearing and clearing his name following the very public way in which the complainants took their version of events to the media and the way in which the story was reported," she said.

Clark said Khan was unable to comment on the case when the Herald on Sunday first published details of the charges in August as it was before the courts and was inappropriate.

She said he would welcome the opportunity to provide his version of events but not until police had decided whether to charge him again.

"His version of events is significantly different to what the complainants reported. Mr Khan considers that he was the victim of an unprovoked drunken attack."

Khan, speaking through Clark, said the incident was "the worst thing that ever happened to me".

Clark added:"Mr Khan has suffered ongoing depression as a consequence of the incident and financially through the suspension of his taxi licence."

He was working for Glen Innes-based Summit Taxis at the time of the alleged attack.

At the time acting manager Shane Jam said the company was aware of the allegations but Khan would continue driving for it until it received "written notification" from the police or New Zealand Transport Agency about the charges.

This week, a woman who answered the phone at Summit Taxis said neither Jam nor any other person of authority at the company was available for comment, and that Khan had not returned to the company.

Neither Hickman-Green nor Raiwalui responded when asked to comment on the dismissal of Khan's charges.

anna.leask@hos.co.nz