Marley Watson applied for leave to appeal against a sentence after pleading guilty to three counts of indecent assault in the District Court. The incidents involved Watson, a 36-year-old taxi driver, where he assaulted an 18-year-old female passenger on multiple occasions during a single taxi ride. The assaults included kissing the complainant, forcing her hand onto his exposed genitals, and groping her. Despite being a case of aggravated sexual assault due to Watson's position of trust as a taxi driver and the lack of consent from the victim, the court noted the absence of penetration, which would have demanded a more severe sentence. Originally sentenced to four years' imprisonment without parole recommendation, Watson's appeal was considered in light of similar cases and the fact he had no previous convictions. The Court of Appeal, considering these factors and acknowledging the role of trust a taxi driver holds, reduced Watson’s sentence to two years' imprisonment, emphasizing the importance of the guilty plea and the somewhat demonstrated remorse.
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