Guard accused of abducting intoxicated woman walking alone in central city.
Yousef Ibrahim appeared in the Auckland District Court yesterday charged with detaining the woman to have sex with her and attempting to sexually violate her. The 20-year-old works as a guard for Matrix Security and was on duty when he picked up the 23-year-old woman on Wakefield St, off Queen St, early on Thursday.
The police and defence agree that the woman entered his vehicle and was driven to a carpark in Sale St, where the car stopped and the incident took place around 3am. Police opposed bail but defence lawyer Jo Scott said Ibrahim was the “sole breadwinner” for his family and needed to work to support them.
She said her client’s version of events differed from that of the woman, and there was no corroborating evidence to back up her story. Ibrahim had said the woman waved down the security vehicle, sat in the front passenger-side seat and refused to leave the car. He could not physically remove her as that would be assault, said Ms Scott, so he decided to continue on his route.
“It wouldn’t be the first time that a young, drunk woman has made false accusations like this.” Sergeant Paul Housley told the court that Ibrahim offered the woman a ride home after she fell over in Wakefield St while walking home alone.
Mr Housley said Ibrahim was in a position of trust as a security guard and could have called an ambulance, police or employer instead of taking her in the car.
Judge Richard Watson said that whichever story was true, Ibrahim had made an “error of judgment”. He granted bail with strict conditions, including that Ibrahim not drive a marked security vehicle unless with another guard. He also had to surrender his passport.
Matrix Security staff services manager Neil Grimstone said the company was co-operating with the police investigation. Ibrahim had been stood down until the case was resolved.
The Government proposes to tighten regulations covering security staff with the Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Bill, which will have its second reading in Parliament this month.
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