Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver guilty of dangerous driving


A TAXI driver whose vehicle collided with a passenger whom he claimed was trying to "do a runner" has been found guilty of dangerous driving.

Darryl Morris said it was only after the collision that he had realised one of the passengers he had picked up was still in the vehicle.

Morris, 39, of Gendros Avenue East, Gendros, had pleaded not guilty to the charge at Swansea Crown Court but was found guilty following a trial.

Sentencing was adjourned by the judge pending the preparation of reports.

The court had heard how Swansea man Martin Walters suffered a broken leg moments after getting out of Morris's taxi on March 12 last year.

The taxi mounted the kerb before striking Mr Walters in Eaton Road, Brynhyfryd.

Mr Walters and his brother Philip had got into Morris's taxi with two friends, Darren Rowe and Jamie Thompkins.

The Walters brothers and Mr Rowe wanted to be dropped off in Eaton Road while Mr Thompkins wanted to travel on to Treboeth.

The court heard that when the taxi stopped in Eaton Road, Philip Walters got out and ran up the road, Martin Walters chased after him along the pavement and Mr Rowe also got out, while Mr Thompkins remained in the vehicle.

But Morris revved his engine, drove up on to the pavement and struck Martin Walters, knocking him over and breaking his left ankle.

Giving evidence in the case taxi driver Morris had said of the collision: "I only intended to block his path. I did not intend to hit anybody.

"I was doing something to prevent at least one of them getting away.

"With hindsight I should have checked if anyone was still in the car.

"But I had to make a split-second decision."

The case was adjourned to enable the probation service to prepare a pre-sentence report, which is due to be delivered in the week commencing June 18.

source: http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Taxi- ... story.html

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

Sheer Stupidity !!!! yes I know sometimes the red mist can descend but nowhere is it written the cabbies or PH have to prevent runners making their escape at all costs that is a one way ticket to the dole queue or worse chez leroy !!

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Swansea taxi driver Darryl Morris has conviction for dangerous driving quashed by appeal court judges



A CABBIE who was stripped of his licence after he was found guilty of running over a passenger he thought was trying to evade payment has had his conviction quashed.

Darryl Howard Morris, of Gendros Avenue East, Gendros, Swansea, claimed he was chasing the suspected fare dodger and the man fell over the bonnet of his car and broke his ankle.

​Swansea taxi driver Darryl Morris has conviction for dangerous driving quashed by appeal court judges

Last May the 40-year-old was banned from the roads for a year and ordered to do un- paid work after he was convicted of dangerous driving at Swansea Crown Court.

But, after a challenge by his lawyers, three senior judges have ruled that a legal error during his trial meant his conviction had to be overturned.

Mr Morris was accused of deliberately going after a group of drunken passengers he thought were trying to make off without paying for their journey, in March 2011.

He had picked the four men up outside Aspers casino in Swansea city centre and drove them to Eaton Road in Brynhyfryd, where three got out and began to leave.

Prosecutors had alleged that, not realising the fourth man was still in the car and planning to pay, Mr Morris drove on to a pavement after the others.

The taxi driver then crashed into one of the fleeing men, Martin Walters, causing him to fall underneath the car and break his ankle, it was claimed.

In his defence, Mr Morris said he believed that they were going to run off without paying and he drove on to the pavement slowly to try to block them off.

At his appeal — which was heard last month — his barrister Sarah Waters argued that the trial judge had misdirected the jury on how to consider their verdict.

Now three senior judges — Lord Justice Leveson, Mr Justice Mitting and Mr Justice Males — have found in the cabbie’s favour, and ruled that his conviction was unsafe.

Lord Justice Leveson said the result of the misdirection at the original trial was that the jury’s minds were not focused on considering what Mr Morris genuinely believed the passengers were doing.

He said: “In the circumstances, we accept the submission that there was an error of law in the direction of law that the jury were given. In the light of the failure to focus on the honest belief of the appellant, we conclude the conviction is unsafe.”

The three appeal judges refused to order a retrial.


Read more: http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Swans ... z2Qo1IxsWw

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

Well edders, leroy will have to wait and one less job seeker on the books
I think they will now have to pay him for his unpaid work thats if he has already completed it.