Jail for Barry teenager who bit taxi driver
A TEENAGER who kicked and bit a taxi driver for refusing him a ride, and threatened to rape the police officers who arrested him, was jailed at Cardiff Crown Court last week.
Eighteen-year-old Jacob Phillips tried to get into the taxi in Lauden Terrace after a booze-fuelled night out on Friday, December 11.
When the driver, Andrzej Szymanowicz, refused, Phillips lent in through the window and attacked him.
Prosecuting Phillips, Richard Evans said: "The driver was aware that the defendant was intoxicated and refused the fare.
"That resulted in the defendant shouting ‘why won’t you give me a lift’ and punching him to his head and biting him on his forearm, puncturing the skin."
Mr Szymanowicz put out a distress call to other drivers including Ralph Gunner (pictured) - but when they attended, Phillips attacked them too.
Mr Evans told the court: "Three drivers attended and there was a struggle, through the course of which three of the drivers were spat at and kicked."
The defendant was overpowered but although he was being restrained, he was pouring out a torrent of (racist) abuse."
When police officers arrived at the scene Phillips threatened to rape and kill them, and was aggressive in the van to the cells, the court heard.
Police interviewing him the following morning reported that he cried a lot while saying that he was ‘more drunk than he had ever been before’.
Phillips pleaded guilty to ABH, common assault, using threatening words and behaviour, obstructing a police officer and of using racially aggravated language.
The court heard that Phillips had been the subject of several community orders, two action plan orders, a rehabilitation order with a curfew with a tag, but that he had persisted in his offending.
Sentencing Phillips, Judge Neil Bidder, said: "You have the pathetic tendency to regard alcohol as a remote third party responsible for your actions.
"Your behaviour is deeply obnoxious and contemptible – you spat and kicked at a man who was trying to do his job.
"Police officers and taxi drivers should not have to put up with behaviour like this. You are a nuisance.
"The public would be properly outraged if you did not face immediate custody."
Phillips was sentenced to a year’s imprisonment, including three months for breaching the community order he was issued in September for the possession of drugs and for obstructing an officer.
Some 33 days spent in custody on remand will count as time served.
A to B taxi manager, Anne Hayshan, welcomed the sentence.
She said: "We are pleased that justice has been done.
"As a company we are concerned when attacks like this happen.
"It's a job that leaves drivers isolated and vulnerable and they can be subjected to verbal abuse.
"Where once you would have people running away from the taxi, now we have them attacking drivers," she added.
"Sometimes it doesn't go to court so we are very pleased that this case has gone forward and the person responsible has gone to prison."
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