Uber driver accused of lewd act against woman in car

An Uber driver performed a sex act on himself in broad daylight while a young female passenger was in the car, a judge has heard.

Abel Kipkemboi, 28, was denied bail in court on Wednesday after he was charged with a spate of sexual offences across Sydney in the last nine months.

Police said they received reports that the Kenyan national had performed a sexual act on himself while driving an Uber in the city centre about 12.30pm on Saturday.

He is alleged to have been driving with a 23-year-old woman as his passenger at the time.

Kipkemboi was arrested on Tuesday afternoon and tactical police executed a search warrant on his house in Parramatta the same day, police said.

Police allege the 28-year-old, who has been in Australia on a bridging visa since 2019, is also responsible for three other sexual offences.

These alleged offences - in the city centre, Earlwood in Sydney's southwest and Otford on the city's southern fringe - are not believed to be connected to his job as an Uber driver, police said.

The 28-year-old is charged with three counts of carrying out a sexual act without consent and two of sexually touching another person without consent.

Kipkemboi appeared via audiovisual link from Surry Hills Police Station as he sought release on bail on Wednesday.

His lawyer argued concerns about him failing to appear in court could be mitigated by him surrendering his Kenyan passport and complying with a curfew.

"He clearly knew police were wanting to speak to him and in fact was cooperative with them," Veronica Love told local court judge Daniel Covington.

But the judge ruled there was an unacceptable risk of the 28-year-old committing further serious offences given the long timeframe and multiple victims he is alleged to have offended against.

"There are multiple complainants over a number of months ... the last offence said to be on the Uber trip is a really serious set of (alleged) facts," Judge Covington said.