A taxi driver who told a lesbian couple to stop kissing in the back of his cab has been ordered to pay them £7,000 ($10,000).
Mohammed Dahbi was accused of discriminating against amorous couple Christy Spitzer and Kassie Thornton over their sexual orientation.
He reportedly told them: “Keep that [behaviour] for the bedroom or get out of the cab.”
But when the asked him to pull over and exited his taxi, he is accused of calling them “b****s, c***s and whores.”
Dahbi was told by judge John Spooner to attend anti-discrimination training and to pay a £3,500 ($5,000) fine to the courts.
Christy, from New York, told DNAinfo: “We felt that what happened to us was wrong and he needed to take responsibility for his actions.”
The incident occurred on 18 September, 2011 when the cabbie told them to stop kissing and “save that for the bedroom,” the trial heard.
In his defence, Dahbi said he couldn’t keep his eyes on the road because the pair were “heavily” kissing and “touching all over each other.”
Dahbi told the judge he feared it would make him have an accident.
But Christy denied this, and said it was only a “light smooch” because she had dental work done.
She said: “That’s why I’m so aware of what my behavior was in the taxi.”
Married father-of-four Dahbi has been a cabbie for 17 years, he denied discriminating against the women because of their sexuality.
He also told the judge for the past few weeks he was volunteering at a homeless charity, which serves many gay individuals.
Dahbi’s lawyer told DNAinfo New York his client never mentioned anything about the couple’s sexuality.
Ali Najmi said: “He has asked straight couples to stop engaging in similar behavior. It can be very distracting for a driver if people are getting hot and heavy in the taxi.”
But judge Spooner disagreed and said: “The more likely reason for [Dahbi] stopping the taxicab and directing Ms Spitzer and Ms.Thornton to stop kissing was, not that he objected to all kissing, but that he was uncomfortable with two women sharing a romantic kiss.”
Christina said: “We just felt we had to let the driver understand that it’s wrong. So he could learn, and he doesn’t do it again.”
Mr Najmi said Dhabi plans to appeal the decision
Taxi driver who told lesbian couple to 'stop kissing' ordered to pay them £7,000
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