Man punched and abused cab driver
A MAN who racially abused a Romanian cab driver and punched him in the face has been given a suspended prison sentence.
Gary Stocks, aged 43, tried to pull the man from his vehicle and hang on to the car door as he tried to drive away in a panic, a court heard.
Stocks caused damage of almost £1,300 to the hackney carriage's door, Plymouth magistrates were told.
Stocks, of Wordsworth Road, North Prospect, admitted racially aggravated common assault against Mihai Ticra and racially aggravated criminal damage to the vehicle.
Magistrates gave him a 12-week prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered him to do 180 hours unpaid work.
He was ordered to pay £1,277 in compensation for the door and a further £500 for the cut lip and distress caused Mr Ticra.
Gareth Warden, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Mr Ticra was called to the Parkway Social Club in St Budeaux to pick up Stocks and his partner at about 11.30pm.
He said the driver knew he was due to take the couple to North Prospect but because Stocks was in drink he could not make out the exact address.
Mr Warden said Mr Ticra took the couple to North Prospect Road, where Stocks became angry and abusive.
He added Stocks accused the driver of going by a longer route and driving past the address given.
Mr Warden said Mr Ticra apologised and offered to let the couple out there and then for no charge.
But he added that Stocks instead came to the front of the cab, made racist remarks and punched the driver in the face through the open window.
The court heard Mr Ticra drove away but stopped to stem the flow of blood.
Mr Warden said: "The defendant caught up with the vehicle and attempted to pull him from the vehicle, but he was wearing a seatbelt."
He added Stocks grabbed the door even though his girlfriend was trying to pull him away.
Mr Warden said: "In a panic, Mr Ticra started to drive away. He stopped several times but he would not let go."
He added Stocks fell away but pulled the door with such force that it was badly damaged.
Sarah Glanville, for Stocks, said he could not recall much about the night after drinking six to eight pints of lager at a birthday party.
She said he was 'extremely remorseful' and was not racist as he used to work with people from different backgrounds as a Royal Navy chef.
The court heard he drank only occasionally, tending to share a bottle of wine with his partner over a weekend.
source: http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Man-pun ... story.html
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