Murder trial hears of 'road rage' incident between rival cabbiesA murder trial has been hearing of a road rage incident between rival cabbies.
Joseph O'Connor, 47, told how he was threatened when he accidentally broke taxi drivers' "etiquette" by overtaking another black cab.
Rival driver Stephen Nolan was cleared of making threats when advocate depute Douglas Fairley QC called his own witness a liar.
The prosecutor also accused Mr O'Connor of putting the murder trial in jeopardy by persuading a relative to back up his story about a separate road rage incident even though she was not there. Mr O'Connor denied he had told lies.
At High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday, Lady Wise formally acquitted Nolan of two charges of breach of the peace.
Nolan, 48, from Edinburgh, still faces a charge of murdering private hire taxi driver Ebrahim Aryaei Nekoo, 41, in Saughton Park, Edinburgh, on March 24 last year by knocking him down and running him over.
He denies the murder charge and other remaining charges of assault and threatening behaviour.
Mr O'Connor, who has been driving taxis for more than 20 years, described an alleged incident on the A8 Edinburgh Airport road near Gogar roundabout in the early hours of the morning in March 2009.
He said he had finished work and was heading home but had forgotten to switch off the light indicating he was available for work. When he over-took Nolan's taxi, it might have looked as though he was trying to jump the queue to pick up a fare.
Mr O'Connor added he had never seen anyone trying to hail a taxi on that stretch of road.
He claimed when he pulled out to overtake Nolan's black cab, the other driver moved into the outside lane of the dual carriageway. Nolan braked so that he nearly ran into the back of the vehicle.
The other cabbie than drove alongside, with his window down, hurling abuse, said Mr O'Connor. Later, the other driver blocked his way, got out of his black cab and came towards him waving his arms "like a man possessed."
Mr O'Connor said the other driver began to punch the window of his taxi and threatened to stab him in the eye and rip his head off, calling him "a wee f***ing spotty specky b******."
Mr O'Connor identified the cabbie who threatened him as Stephen Nolan.
He told the trial: "I was a wee bit shook up. These are guys who are supposed to be trusted."
As soon as he got home, Mr O'Connor sent an e-mail to Edinburgh Council complaining about the other driver's aggression, the trial heard.
Mr O'Connor also described an incident in August 2010 when he claimed Nolan had threatened him in South Bridge, Edinburgh.
It was that alleged incident which led to allegation that he was lying about his step-son's fiancee being in his cab, heading home after working in a bar in Edinburgh city centre.
Mr Fairley suggested Mr O'Connor's allegation about the A8 incident had been ignored by Central Taxis and taxi watchdogs because it was his word against Nolan's.
Mr O'Connor said he had wanted to ensure he had a "witness" when he made his other allegation.
The trial continues.
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