A TAXI driver accused of kidnapping three young women in a bid to commit sex acts has been cleared.
Karl Marson, 35, collected the three women outside the Weir Bar, in Hessle, on September 8.
He was alleged to have driven them to a secluded area in Willerby and demanded they perform sex acts on him in exchange for a lift home.
A jury at Hull Crown Court took just half an hour to unanimously acquit him of the charges.
He was acquitted of three charges of kidnap, committing kidnap with intent to commit a sex offence, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating.
The women had been drinking in Hessle and two were refused entry to the Weir Bar because they were drunk.
Their friend called a taxi for them and Mr Marson arrived. He agreed to take them back to west Hull.
Two of the women fell asleep in the back of the car and the other told the driver they had no money to pay when they reached Anlaby.
Mr Marson had told the jury she then offered to perform a sex act on him in exchange for taking them home.
He said he was slapped when he refused and ordered the women out of his car.
The jury was played a recording of a 999 call the women made to the police immediately afterwards, reporting their version of events.
Mr Marson also radioed in to his taxi firm to say what had happened.
Taxi operator Colin Loftus received the call and told Mr Marson to report what had happened to the police, which he did.
Mr Loftus, who has worked as a taxi operative for 14 years, had told the court: "He said he had problems with his passengers and he had to put them out of the cab because they refused to pay their fare.
"The girls in the car threatened him and said they were going to ring the police if he didn't take them home.
"He said they were drunk.
"When they said they were not going to pay the fare that's when he stopped in Blackthorn Lane, near the waterworks.
"He told them to get out and that's when they said they would ring the police.
"They slapped him as they got out of the car. He said he couldn't tell if he had been slapped or punched.
"I told him he should ring the police and report that he hadn't been paid the fare. He then drove back to Hessle to the office.
"He showed me the side of his face, where he had a little red mark where he had been slapped. I had a joke with him about it."
Mr Loftus told the court Mr Marson was one of the best drivers he had.
