Tamak Vijay: Belmont councillor on trial charged with assaulting clients while working as driving assessor
A City of Belmont councillor working as a driving instructor “touched” and “squeezed” the thighs of three female clients during their driving tests, a court has been told.
Tamak Vijay, 38, went on trial in Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday after he was charged with indecently assaulting three women during their practical driving assessments in February.
He pleaded not guilty to three counts of unlawful and indecent assault in April.
The court was told that on three separate occasions Mr Vijay — who was working as a driving assessor at the Department of Transport’s assessment centre in City West — allegedly touched his female clients’ thighs after asking them to pull over during their driving assessments.
On February 2, 2024, Mr Vijay allegedly placed his hand on his 29-year-old client’s thigh for about 10 seconds.
Camera IconTamak Vijay. Credit: Kelsey Reid/The West Australian
At the end of her assessment, Mr Vijay allegedly touched the woman’s thigh again for about two minutes while providing feedback.
The court was told of a similar incident on February 8 when Mr Vijay asked his 35-year-old female client to pull over during her driving assessment.
Once the car was stationary, Mr Vijay allegedly placed his hand on the woman’s thigh before “squeezing” it for about “four or five seconds”.
She claims Mr Vijay then put his finger to his lips, making a “ssh” motion.
In her evidence on Thursday, the complainant said Mr Vijay squeezed and rubbed her thigh “near her underwear” and touched her shoulder.
The complainant said it was “very scary” and she “never consented” to Mr Vijay touching her.
“I remember I had both hands on the driving wheel . . . he placed his right hand on my left thigh, close to my underwear,” she said.
“He squeezed it . . . I was really shocked.
“I gave him a look and he ‘shushed’ me . . . it really messed with my mental health, it was really bad.
“(When he rubbed my thigh) it made me feel awkward and disgusting.
“I just wanted to get out of the car as soon as possible and then he told me he passed me.
“(That night) I was in a very bad state, I couldn’t eat.
“It was messed up.”
Defence lawyer Rachel Foster grilled the complainant and said Mr Vijay was just an “over helpful driving instructor”.
Ms Foster also raised concerns the complainant spoke about the incident with other witnesses and questioned whether she was remembering events accurately.
Magistrate Andrew Matthews reiterated the witnesses could not discuss the case with each other.
On February, 13 Mr Vijay met another 31-year-old female client at City West and allegedly placed his hand on her thigh three times during her driving assessment.
“(This was) not a fleeting touch,” police prosecutor Pat Prest said.
Mr Prest said all the complainants were “foreign born” and had all passed their driving tests.
A Department of Transport compliance officer also gave evidence and said there was “a policy of no physical contact” between an assessor and client during a driving test.
Mr Vijay is on a leave of absence from the City of Belmont.
The trial continues.
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