Taxi Driver Online

Herald Express (Torquay)

July 1, 2006 Saturday

HEADLINE: Man jailed for cabbie attack

A Torbay taxi driver was beaten up when he tried to get a £5 fare from two men, a court has been told.

David Doyle was yesterday jailed for 14 months for the attack on cabbie Gary Hesketh. The late-night assault left Mr Hesketh with facial injuries, three broken teeth and bruising to his body, Exeter Crown Court was told.

The court heard 22-year-old Doyle and 21-year-old Christopher Harrity, were given a lift from the taxi office in Cary Parade to Sherwell Road in Torquay. When they arrived at their destination, the two men got out and started to walk off, it was alleged.

Mr Hesketh got out of his cab and challenged the men about the fare but was punched to the head for his trouble, it was claimed. Mr Hesketh retreated to his taxi but was then attacked again and had to summon help from the police on his cab radio.

Police inquiries led to the two defendants who were arrested.

Harrity admitted the bilking offence but denied the assault saying that Doyle was the attacker and he had tried to put a stop to the assault. Doyle said he had no recollection of anything that happened after he had left the public house.

Closed circuit surveillance cameras showed two men staggering around in Cary Parade trying to stop passing cars and kicking out at vehicles as they went past.

Doyle, of Sherwell Lane, Torquay, pleaded guilty to the assault on Mr Hesketh but denied making off without payment and was found not guilty. Harrity, of Mallock Road, Torquay, denied the assault and was cleared by a jury. But he admitted making off without payment.

Doyle was jailed for 14 months and Harrity was given a conditional discharge for two years and ordered to pay £200 in costs.
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If the scum-bag had no recollection then WTF can he plead guilty?

That said, let's hope everyone now knows the blokes address.

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IDFIMH

SUSSEX WROTE
That said, let's hope everyone now knows the blokes address.


Thats fair enough and a point that i would agree with, but to be honest this does have a double edged sword as in the Evening Herald tonight, 1 of the headlines is MAN BEATEN UP BY CABBIES. Apparently according to the paper 2 cabbies beat on a male in southside street, apparently for no reason.

Well personally i feel that there would of been a reason for this course of action by the cabbies, although im not condoning it in any way shape or form. Im just interested to see wether the response would be the same when its one of your own that is in the firing line.

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Legal and proud

Loads a love from BERTIE !!

Link to Plymouth Herald

MAN BEATEN UP BY CABBIES

11:50 - 03 July 2006
Police are appealing for witnesses after two black-cab drivers beat up a man in a street on the Barbican. The 26-year-old victim was left with a chipped tooth and sore head, neck and hands after the nasty attack, which happened at about 1.20am on Saturday morning.

Investigating officer Pc Dave Neale said: "The lad got into a taxi, the taxi driver took offence at this, hauled him out and started to assault him.

"A second taxi then pulled up and the second driver also assaulted the male, kicking him while he was on the ground. Both drivers were from black metro-cabs."

The seemingly unprovoked assault happened on Southside street near the Gin Distillery.

Officers are keen to speak to three women thought to have been in the second taxi and anyone who was on the street at the time.

The first attacker is described as white, 5ft 8ins to 5ft 9ins tall, in his mid-thirties, of medium build with a bald head and goatee. He was wearing a blue shirt. The second attacker is described as white, 5ft 7ins to 5ft 8ins tall, aged 35 to 45, of medium build and wearing a light coloured T-shirt.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Pc Neale on 08452 777444 quoting crime reference number EC/06/6831 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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Taxi Driver Online
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Thanks Dusty, by christ you really are a man of many talents

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Legal and proud

Loads a love from BERTIE !!

Thought I should beat Steveo to it

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Interesting story though, and if the descriptions were accurate and both were driving Metrocabs then they shouldn't be difficult to find.

I suspect there's more to this than was disclosed in the story, but whatever happened the drivers' reaction certainly seems way OTT.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk