what is it with Glasgow and false accusationsA WOMAN accused a taxi driver of stealing almost £200 that she 'forgot' she spent on betting machines.Kerry Hayes left all her belongings in the taxi after leaving the vehicle on March 27 last year, saying she would return.
However the 42- year old didn't come back and the driver handed the items in to Partick police station.
He told police his passenger had gone in to a bookies and not returned to collect her goods.
Officers searched the bags, which included groceries, and managed to identify Hayes name and address, and later contacted her.
When she came to the police station to collect her things, she said there was £180 missing from her purse.
She told officers she had asked the taxi driver to stop so she could go to a sunbed shop to use the toilet, however said when she came out the driver was gone.
Police questioned Hayes and asked if she had "spent the money in a bookmakers", which she denied, and insisted she wanted to proceed with her complaint about the stolen cash.
Officers then cautioned the taxi driver based on Hayes' account, but investigated further due to the differing accounts.
A court heard this week that the taxi driver "was made aware of his rights to speak to a solicitor but he stuck to his version of events"
Hayes, of Broomhill Lane, was ultimately charged with wasting police time, after they discovered the taxi driver had been telling the truth.
They found CCTV of Hayes in the bookies, and when they questioned her again she admitted it.
She told officers: " Did I do anything wrong? Aye, I spent the money."
Her solicitor told the court she had "no recollection" of the incident "due to substance misuse" and added: " She lost the money playing fixed odds betting terminals."
Sentencing, Sheriff Bonnar said the incident had "no doubt caused the taxi driver some considerable distress and unease."
He said he took into account her social work report detailing her problems, and the fact she had "very little criminal record".
He ordered her to be supervised by the social work department for 18 months.what sort of sentence is THAT
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