Taxi Driver Online

'Taxi passenger dragged by car'
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/ne ... ticle.html

Stoke again!

TAXI passenger Alan Billington was dragged along the road and left unconscious after the driver sped off before he got out, a court was told.

Essam Mir, aged 26, of Victoria Park Road, Tunstall, denies dangerous driving.

Robert Price, prosecuting at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday, said Mr Billington had been with his partner and a friend to The Albert pub, Liverpool Road, Newcastle, on Friday, October 24, last year.

At 9.30pm, they decided to go home and Mr Billington's partner ordered a taxi by calling Newcastle-based Castle Cars.

Mr Price said: "They said they could provide a cab and the partner said she had a Staffordshire bull terrier with her. The person taking the call said that would not be a problem and the dog could sit in the taxi.

"Shortly afterwards, the defendant arrived in a silver Vauxhall Vectra and Mr Billington put the dog in the front-passenger-seat footwell.

"Mir was unhappy and indicated the dog was not welcome and he was not prepared to take the fare. There was some confusion because of what had been said when booking the taxi.

"Mr Billington removed the dog and was getting out when the defendant simply drove away at some speed, with Mr Billington half in and half out. The defendant, we say, must have seen him."

Mr Billington's partner and friend watched as he was "dragged" along the road for a few car lengths, before he fell out.

Mr Price said: "The defendant simply drove away, offering no help or assistance, leaving him unconscious on the road."

Mr Billington was taken to hospital. He received a six-inch gash to his right knee and bruising and swelling to both legs and feet and was off work for several weeks.

The self-employed welder told the jury he had put his "very friendly" dog in the footwell.

Mr Billington said: "There was some conversation with the taxi driver. He was unhappy. I was on my way to sitting in the taxi. The driver started saying something.

"One thing led to another and the dog jumped out frightened. I was part way in when the dog jumped out.

"I was still part in the car when the taxi driver drove off. My foot was stuck somewhere in the passenger seat."

Mir's vehicle was looked at by police officers later that night. Mr Price said there were scuff marks and damage consistent with Mr Billington coming into contact.

When interviewed, Mir denied he had driven dangerously and denied Mr Billington had been dragged along the road by his taxi.

He said there was an argument about the dog and Mr Billington became aggressive and left the taxi.

Mir said he simply drove away and the allegation he drove dangerously and dragged Mr Billington along the road was a lie.

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

Maybe a BNP government could sort out the reluctance by a teeny weeny minority to take dogs....and then incidents like this maybe wouldnt happen

Even German Shepards???

Well thankfully we don't have a BNP government, and this is being sorted out, else they wouldn't be in court.

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IDFIMH

Hitler ( a wee bit of a Nationalist) went to jail...but he still ended up in power...Its all about popular beliefs and less about whos in power now...

anyways...we Got a Scottish Nationalist bunch running our Paliament up here...why not A BNP in the uk?

and before ya's start...I dont and wont vote for either the SNP or BNP..but I still think they thay have a right to be a political force..

Jury clears taxi driver of charge


TAXI driver Essam Mir has been cleared of causing injuries to a passenger by driving off when he was still in the cab.

The 26-year-old was yesterday found not guilty of dangerous driving by a jury at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

At about 9.30pm on Friday, October 24 last year Mir, a driver for Newcastle-based Castle Cars, went to The Albert pub in Liverpool Road, Newcastle, to pick up three passengers.

But his base operator had not told him he would also be taking a dog. He refused to take the fare because he is scared of dogs and is allergic to them so he called his base and told them to send another cab.

Mr Mir, pictured below, said: "I am scared of dogs and allergic to them as well. I told the base to send another taxi and told the passengers it would be a few minutes.


"Tracy Davenport was fine about it. Alan Billington then approached the door and started questioning as to why I could not take the dog. I explained I could not take the dog and another taxi would be a few minutes. He started losing his temper. He started swearing at me. He was talking in a loud, angry, aggressive manner. I could smell alcohol on him. He made a fist and tried to hit me.

"He leaned into the car and tried to hit me with his right hand. He missed because Tracy Davenport pulled him back. He was still angry.

"If I had stayed there he would have kept trying to hit me."

Mr Mir, of Victoria Park Road, Tunstall, told the jury he was frightened and thought he could have been left unconscious.

"He would have hit me more than once," he said.

His counsel Robin Lichfield asked him what he thought was the best thing he could have done.

Mr Mir replied: "When she pulled him back, the best thing I could do is drive on to diffuse the situation."

"Did you think there was anything else you could do at that stage?" asked Mr Lichfield.

"No," replied Mr Mir.

Mr Mir said Mr Billington's leg was not in the car at any stage and he did not sit in the seat. He added that the dog did not get in the car, as was alleged by the prosecution.

He said the passenger door shut by the car moving.

"Was Mr Billington in the car at all?" asked Mr Lichfield.

"No," said Mr Mir.

"Did you feel you had any choice that night?" asked Mr Lichfield.

"No," said Mr Mir.

"What would have happened to you if you had not?" asked the barrister. He would have kept hitting me," said Mr Mir.

Mr Mir declined to comment after being acquitted.

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