A woman was left in a "sobbing heap" after a mini-cab driver forcibly kissed her and then molested her in the back of his car, a court heard.

After escaping her alleged ordeal, the female passenger was said to have repeatedly showered and scrubbed herself because she felt so unclean.

David James, 72, who was working for Chatham-based Vokes taxi firm at the time, later claimed that the woman had kissed him twice and that it "felt like it was his birthday".

James, of Sturdee Avenue, Gillingham, denies assault by penetration.

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard he drove the woman and three friends home from a nightclub in November last year.

His alleged victim later described herself as being drunk but still "fully in charge". By the time she had gone to the club, she had switched wine for water.

The woman was the last of the four to be dropped off. Prosecutor Charlotte Newell said she was sitting in the back of his cab and moved into the middle seat to pay him.

However, as she went to take her change, James grabbed her by her hand, pulled her forward by holding the back of her head and then kissed her, putting his tongue in her mouth.

"She hadn't invited it, asked for it or gave any signal that that would be welcome," explained Miss Newell. "Indeed, she was pushing away."

The court heard James let go, only for the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, to drop her purse in the footwell behind the driver's seat.

As she scrabbled around for it, she realised James had joined her in the back of the cab.

"She tried to get out but he pulled her back and again began to kiss her and put his hand down her top," continued Miss Newell.

"She was making it clear that she wanted it to stop and wanted to go home."

However, the court heard James pulled up her dress, pulled down her tights and then molested her, despite her repeated protestations.

The woman eventually managed to get out of the taxi, only for James to give her his phone number, tell her his name and offer to be her personal driver.

Once home, the woman texted one of her friends who had shared the taxi and told her what had happened.

"She was extremely distressed, describing herself as in a heap on the kitchen floor," said Miss Newell.

The woman then phoned the same friend, sobbing and saying how dirty she felt.

"She repeatedly showered, over and over again, scrubbing herself, washing her hair and brushing her teeth and tongue because she felt so horrified by his touch and because she felt unclean," added the prosecutor.

"She repeatedly showered, over and over again, scrubbing herself, washing her hair and brushing her teeth and tongue because she felt so horrified by his touch" - Charlotte Newell, prosecuting

The alleged assault was reported to both the cab company and police.

James was arrested and told how the woman had kissed him as he went to give her her change.

He said he got into the back seat after she told him there was food in the footwell and he was going to help her clean it up.

James told police she started kissing him again but that he had not touched her sexually.

"He said he was surprised to be kissed and felt like it was his birthday," added Miss Newell.

"He said he gave her his number. He said he was physically incapable of having sex because he was diabetic and therefore would not have thought about having sex or talked about sex."

The trial is expected to end this week.