Trainee soldier threatened to smash taxi driver's skull across his steering wheelA TRAINEE soldier threatened to smash an Asian taxi driver’s head on his steering wheel before making a racist remark.
Liam Attenborough had caught a taxi with a friend from Darlington train station at about 1.30am on September 29 when he began hurling abuse at the driver about three minutes into the journey, Darlington magistrates heard.
The 19-year-old, who is two weeks away from completing his Army training at Catterick Garrison, said to the driver: “Do you know who I am? I am a police officer.”
Prosecutor John Garside said the driver became uneasy so stopped, and asked Attenborough and his friend to pay the fare.
However the teenage soldier refused, telling the driver: “If you do not drive us, I will smash your skull on the steering wheel.”
He also asked him: “Are you a [edited by admin]? You do not respect this country.”
In mitigation, John Clish said Attenborough, of Linton Close, Carlisle, was of previous impeccable character.
“The defendant doesn’t consider himself to be racist, given the job he does it would be very difficult for him to do his job if he did have those views,” he said.
He told the court the driver had allegedly agreed to charge Attenborough and his friend £20 for the journey, but he had later asked for another £18, which caused him to “see red.”
Attenborough, who will be posted in Edinburgh in November, admitted racially aggravated harassment and magistrates ordered him to pay a £215 fine.
He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £21 victim surcharge, as well as £25 compensation to the taxi driver.
source:
http://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.c ... ing_wheel/
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