Taxi Driver Online

This is on the Courier's Monday court round-up page, hence the brief headline.

Not particularly noteworthy in the grand scheme of things, apart from the unusual uses of the f-word

(No, not that f-word...)

Not clear what the driver's sexuality was, though, and how the perp might have known that


Taxi attack

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/co ... lly-death/

A drunken Fife man who threw a glass towards a taxi driver and refused to pay a £15 fare has been slapped with a £770 bill in court.

Jaymie Wilson, 35, became aggressive towards the driver and called him a “f**got” when he arrived home in Keltyhill Avenue after being picked up at the Cross Guns pub in Cowdenbeath on October 4 last year.

He appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner within a parked taxi.

Wilson had adopted an aggressive attitude towards the male driver and repeatedly shouted, swore, uttered homophobic remarks to him and threw a glass and its contents towards him, striking him with the contents and fragments of glass.

Prosecutor Azrah Yousaf told the court Wilson was drunk when picked up from the pub by the part-time driver.

During the journey, Wilson was singing and there were no issues but he became “irate for no reason” upon arrival and directed his anger towards the driver.

The fiscal said: “He threatened to assault him and repeatedly called him ‘f**got.'”

He refused to pay the fare and the visibly shaken driver returned to the office.

When charged, Wilson said: “I can not remember anything. I can only apologise.”

Defence lawyer Heather Morrison said her client was “shocked” and “mortified” when he heard what happened and has been in touch with the driver to apologise and offer recompense.

Ms Morrison said Wilson has stopped drinking since the offence and has obtained an apprenticeship working full time as a labourer.

Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon fined Wilson £420 and ordered him to pay £350 in compensation.

He also ordered one year of offender supervision as part of a community payback order for Wilson to address his alcohol-related issues.

The appearance came as The Courier highlighted the growing threat to taxi drivers in Fife and beyond.

Fife cabbie Kay Rooney called for better safety measures after being held at knifepoint by a recidivist attacker.