Man who racially abused and punched taxi drivers walks free from court
Damien Scanlon at Kirklees Magistrates' Court
A reveller who racially abused and punched two taxi drivers following a drunken night out has avoided jail.
Damien Scanlon got into a taxi and asked to be taken home after he'd been in a fight in Huddersfield town centre during the small hours of January 31, Kirklees Magistrates Court heard.
The court heard the dad-of-two became abusive when driver Liaquat Ali told him to get out of his car and go to the front of the taxi queue.
Scanlon, of Long Lane, Dalton, kicked the wheel arch of Mr Ali’s car causing £200 damage before racially abusing taxi driver Umer Khatab who had become involved in the incident.
The court heard Scanlon shouted: “You f****** p*** b******. I’m going to kill you. I hate you people,” before smashing a window of Mr Khatab’s car.
Scanlon, 26, then punched both drivers as they tried to follow him before hitting one cabbie as he tried to call the police.
Mike Sisson-Pell told magistrates that Scanlon, who admitted two counts of racially aggravated assault and two charges of racially aggravated criminal damage, had no previous convictions.
Mr Sisson-Pell said: “At some stage during the evening he has had what is referred to as a really good kicking from people he didn’t know or remember.
“He would be the first to say under no circumstances is he racist.”
Bench chair Alexis Walker ordered Scanlon to do 150 hours unpaid work and pay £300 compensation to both drivers. He was given a curfew and ordered to pay £145 costs and victim surcharges.
Ms Walker said: “It is a serious matter to racially abuse people who are doing their job and providing a service to the public.”
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