Uber driver convicted after kissing stranger's child at food court
Syed Talha Ahmad, 28, was sentenced to 12 months supervised community corrections after kissing a schoolgirl at a shopping centre.
Syed Talha Ahmad, an Uber Eats driver, kissed a nine-year-old girl he did not know on the cheek while she waited for food at Stockland Shellharbour on August 5. CCTV showed him touching the back of her head before leaning down and kissing her right cheek, while she stood in her school uniform.
Ahmad told police he did not know the act was an offence and said it was an accepted gesture in his culture. Port Kembla Local Court heard Ahmad was studying a master's degree and had an unblemished record.
Judge Mark Douglass emphasised the seriousness of kissing a young girl's face without her permission. Ahmad was convicted of common assault and handed a 12-month supervised community corrections order.
He has since appealed the conviction.
- Syed Talha Ahmad, 28
- Defendant and age
- Nine-year-old girl
- Victim's age
Why it mattersThe case highlights the importance of understanding consent laws in Australia, regardless of cultural background.
AustraliaAustralians facing similar misunderstandings of local consent laws now have a court ruling to reference.
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