A Dublin taxi driver who sexually assaulted a passenger has been sentenced to three years in prison with the final year suspended.

Paul Murphy (54) of Glenayle Road in Raheny was found guilty by a jury of sexually assaulting a passenger after she hailed a cab in the city centre on November 11th, 2011.

He was caught after the victim pulled insurance documents out of his pocket during the attack which were later used to track him down.

Passing sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Patricia Ryan said the assault represented a serious breach of trust as Murphy was a taxi driver and the victim was his customer. She also ordered he be registered as a sex offender.

She took into account Murphy's previous good character and the fact that the offence may result in him losing his taxi licence.

Garda Anthony O'Shea told Cathleen Noctor BL, prosecuting, that the victim had been out with a friend on the night at a few city centre venues. She had not had much to drink when she hailed a cab on George's Street to her home on the north-side of the city.

"It robbed me of my confidence"

She sat in the back of the taxi and there was "normal chat" on the way. When she got out of the cab at her home, the driver got out too and said "You look like you need a hug".

He grabbed her arm and asked her if she wanted to go the beach, saying "I bet all taxi drivers are like this for you". The woman said "no chance". She asked him what his wife would say and told him she had to get back to her house as there were people there.

She pushed Murphy and walked very quickly away, hiding behind a neighbour's car and then behind a wheelie bin until the taxi drove away.

The woman went into the house of a neighbour who later gave evidence that she had been in a distressed state.

In a victim impact statement read out on the woman's behalf, she said her life had changed the day she was assaulted. "It robbed me of my confidence and feeling of security" she said.

She avoids taking taxis by herself and gets agitated whenever she sees a man of similar build and height to Murphy.

"I'm not free anymore, I don't like being on my own. The only place I feel safe is at home, but I'm anxious that he knows where I live" she added.