Carlisle taxi driver racially abused by customer
Friday, 09 April 2010
A Carlisle man has been fined for racially abusing a Turkish taxi driver in a row over change.
William Robert Warwick, 60, of York Gardens in Upperby, got in the taxi in Carlisle city centre, on March 23, and asked the driver to take him home.
Carlisle Magistrates’ Court heard that Warwick agreed to pay the fare of £3.50 and handed the taxi driver a £5 note but he said he became unhappy when he was given his £1.50 in loose change.
Prosecutor Pam Ward said then shouted racist abuse at the driver.
She said: “He [Warwick] was told to get out but didn’t and the taxi driver drove him to the police station.”
Defence solicitor Malcolm Dodds said that Warwick was not a racist man adding that he has an Asian girlfriend whom he has been in a relationship with for eight years. The defendant claims he was given his change in five pence pieces but this is disputed by the taxi driver.
Magistrates fined Warwick, who pleaded guilty, £200 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
Source; newsandstar.co.uk