Jailed: Man who smashed glass in cabbie's faceA man who smashed a glass into the face of a taxi driver he was trying to rip off has been jailed for 20 months.
Daniel Howlett, 27, lashed out at the cabbie, who had brought a friend to his house, in a drunken attack saying 'his word against mine' as the victim made off.
Howlett then went to the neighbouring supermarket in Lyneham to ask where their CCTV cameras were as he feared the assault had been caught on film.
Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that taxi driver Mohammad Karmouni picked up a fare in Trowbridge on Sunday, January 12.
He said it had been agreed that the man, who was going to Howlett's address, would pay at the other end as he did not have any cash on him.
But when they arrived the passenger went in to the property and then did not produce the cash, leaving the cabbie knocking on the door.
Howlett answered and told his pal 'don't worry about', when Mr Karmouni asked for the fare and would not pay up.
When the cabbie stayed trying to get paid the defendant came out and after swearing at him lashed out, smashing the glass in his hand into his head.
Mr Meeke said he the victim, who had blood pouring from his broken nose and cut head, ran to his taxi and drove to nearby car park to call the police.
As he pulled away the attacker said 'his word against mine' and later tried to tell the police they had scuffled on the floor.
Mr Karmouni suffered a cut from his forehead which was so bad he told his children he had been in a car accident so no to scare them.
In an impact statement he said he was off work for two months and still wouldn't drive his taxi at night saying 'Why did he do this to me, did I do anything to him?'
Soon after the incident Howlett, again drunk, went to his local Tesco, where staff knew him as 'something of a nuisance neighbour', asking about cameras.
After he was arrested he said he had drunk a lot of vodka and got into a scuffle with the taxi driver after saying they were going to 'rip him off'.
Howlett, of Calne Road, Lyneham, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful wounding.
He accepted he landed a single blow to the victim with a glass in his hand, but insisted in his drunken state he had forgotten he was holding it.
Rob Ross, defending, said his client could not recall the incident and he was very sorry for what he had done. He said he had set up his own business which would be at risk if he were jailed and he also provided for a child by a previous relationship both financially and physically.
Since the incident he has realised his drinking was a problem and voluntarily referred himself to Turning Point to try and tackle it.
Recorder Maria Lamb said: "This was a thoroughly unpleasant offence. It seems clear from what you said that there was a plan afoot to rip off the taxi driver.
"Whether you were part of it is not clear. The poor Mr Karmouni pressed to receive the taxi fare.
"I have no doubt what happened after that is you lost your self control and you lost your temper.
"You had been drinking and you can't remember but you must have had a glass in your hand and you struck Mr Karmouni with it."
PC Matthew Lewis, of CID, said: “This was an unprovoked attack on a man who was merely carrying out his day to day duties as a taxi driver. It was an appalling assault and left the victim with nasty facial injuries.
“I hope that this sends a strong message to the public that Wiltshire Police will not tolerate any behaviour of this kind.”
source:
http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/ ... ie_s_face/
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