Taxi Driver Online

Drinker flew into a rage and punched taxi over music dispute

PUMMELLING a taxi in a fit of drunken rage landed a Grantham man before magistrates today.

It was after the driver refused to turn up the music as he dropped 34-year-old Craig Taylor off near his home in Clyde Court that the fracas began.

Taylor had been out drinking in town on July 19 when he decided to catch a taxi home at about 11pm, Grantham Magistrates' Court heard.

The driver immediately noticed Taylor becoming increasingly loud and he kept asking for the music to be turned up.

Jill Derby, prosecuting, said: "The taxi driver said he couldn't turn it up any louder.

"Mr Taylor got out to get money out of his pocket and got back in to pay the driver, asking again for the music to be turned up. He refused.

"Mr Taylor became aggressive with him and started shouting and swearing. He got out and went to the front and punched the bonnet and grill of the car.

"He then punched out at the window before the driver drove off and reported it to the police."

Taylor was identified as the culprit after a swab was taken from the car's bonnet and matched to his profile.

Personal problems were the underlying reason behind the outburst, said Christopher Pye-Smith, defending.

He added: "He does accept he had an unusually large quantity of alcohol to drink and he also had personal problems on his mind.

"It was a minor disagreement which escalated to an unacceptable level. He is very sorry about this and offered through the police to pay compensation from the outset."

Magistrates sentenced Taylor, who pleaded guilty, to 12 months' conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £300 in compensation and £85 prosecution costs.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
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