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Woman 'spits' at taxi driver after being asked to sit in the back without a face covering
AN INVESTIGATION is underway after allegations that a woman spat at taxi driver following a journey with her family in St Helens last night.
Lee McBride, a taxi driver at A to B taxis for seven years, picked up a family of four outside the Carr Mill pub at about 8pm on Tuesday, January 4, who asked to be taken to an address in Parr.
The woman, described as being in her 50s or 60s, sat in the front seat without a face covering, however, Lee, a dad-of-three, asked if she could sit in the back if she did not have one.
Explaining that she was exempt from wearing masks, the woman is said to have become aggressive at this request and "screamed and howled" during their journey.
Being self-employed, Lee said that he reluctantly explained that he can't catch coronavirus due to the consequences it will have for him, such as being unable to work and provide for his family and passing it on to his family and children.
Speaking to the Star, Lee, who lives near the Eccleston Arms in St Helens, also said that he is worried in his ability to fight off the virus due to having high blood pressure.
The woman was not pacified by his reasoning and continued to scream throughout their journey.
As they pulled up at the location in Parr, Lee said he heard a "phlegmy" noise from the back seat, and upon turning around, felt the woman spit towards his face.
Lee, 50, said: "I was in total shock when it happened. Luckily, she missed me with the spit because she mainly hit the back of the seat, but the spray still got me."
"Her husband paid me and I heard her daughter telling her off, but as they were leaving, she said 'you're going to have to wipe the spit off your back seats'".
As he drove off, Lee said he had to pull over as he was that furious, and had to take in what had happened.
He drove to a nearby police station to report the incident, which he said is now being treated as a common assault.
Lee is also taking daily Covid tests to ensure he is safe to work and not unknowingly passing the virus onto customers or his family.
A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: "We are investigating after a taxi driver reported that a passenger in his car spat on the rear of his seat.
"We were contacted at 10.15pm on Tuesday, January 4 following reports that a taxi driver had collected a group of people from the Carr Mill Hotel at around 8pm that night.
"He said he had asked a female passenger to get into the rear of a car as she wasn’t wearing a mask.
"When the group left the car the driver reported that he found spit on the back of the driver’s seat."
Enquiries are being carried out. Anyone with information is asked to DM @MerPolCC quoting reference 22000010591.
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