Eighteen months at hard labour was the sentence handed down to a man in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Friday.

He is taxi operator Anthony Hewitt, who was charged with forcible abduction and assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.

The court heard that Hewitt is alleged to have forcibly abducted the complainant and used a rag to gag her mouth causing her to black out.

In trying to explain himself to the Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey, Hewitt told her that he had known the woman since 2010 and had been enamoured with her.

He admitted to picking up the woman and taking her to a hotel. He further stated that during their time at the hotel, he had an argument with her due to a phone call he had received from his baby mother.

Subsequently, he was taken into custody.