Private hire driver Mohammed Shafiq (39) of Hankey Street, Millfield, Peterborough, is accused of sexually assaulting the 18-year-old girl in the car park at the Serpentine Green shopping centre, in Hampton.

Yesterday, Peterborough Crown Court heard from the victim's best friend, who described the moment she received the phone call from her friend on the afternoon of Thursday, October 18 last year.

She said: "I got a call from her, and she said she was in a taxi, and the taxi man was being funny and asking if she did business. She did not know what that meant.

"Then, a few minutes later, she texted me and said that he was not letting her out of the taxi.

"I phoned her and told her to get out of the taxi, but the phone went dead.

"A few minutes later I rang back, and she said she had got out of the taxi, but she had been assaulted. I told her to ring her dad.

"I never thought of phoning the police."

The court then heard from a security guard at Serpentine Green, who had gone to help the alleged victim.

Lee Greaves said: "I received a call saying there was a distressed female in the shop, and when I went to the information desk to see her. She was crying and shaking. She was very upset.

"I asked her what happened, and she said the taxi driver had touched her. She then lost control, and started crying and shaking again. Then she just kept saying sorry."

Detective Constable Robert Sansom, who is the police officer in charge of the case, also took to the witness stand, and told the court that despite the accusations, there was no DNA evidence at the scene.

The 18-year-old claimed that she banged on the Skoda Octavia's windows to try and attract attention in the car park, and also stamped on Shafiq's hand during the assault.

But DC Sansom said: "The car was dusted for prints, and only two from the victim were found on the window, both on the outside.

"There were also no injuries on the driver's hands, and no DNA from him on her clothes or shoes."

Shafiq denies sexual assault. The defence is expected to open its case today.

The trial continues.