Taxi Driver Online

Ferryhill woman punched taxi driver and smashed up car with walking stick - 'because she didn't have the fare'

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/ ... -the-fare/

A WOMAN punched a taxi driver and smashed up his car with a walking stick in a fit of drunken anger after realising she did not have the means to pay the fare on New Year's Eve, a court heard.

Lauren Ashley Kirsopp, 22, of Davies Street, Ferryhill, then kicked a police officer following her arrest.

She admitted charges of assault by beating, criminal damage and assault of an emergency worker, when she appeared before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe.

Kayleigh Hellen, prosecuting, said: "The defendant has gone into a taxi at 10.05pm on New Year's Eve at Bishop Auckland market place.

"The fare was agreed but when the destination was reached the defendant became abusive and aggressive before punching the taxi driver.

"She has then climbed from the vehicle and smashed it with a walking stick."

The court heard the windscreen was cracked, a wiper damaged and there were large dents all over the bodywork.

When she was later arrested, in the early hours of New Year's Day, she was taken to Bishop Auckland police station where she assaulted a police officer by kicking him once in the leg.

A victim impact statement from the taxi driver said: "This was the busiest night of the year for business. I lost a full night's work. They were my first paying customers and there was £1,000 worth of damage done to my taxi. I feel very vulnerable as an individual. I didn't expect this. This has never happened before but now I feel emotionally drained and upset about what happened."

Ms Hellen said Kirsopp had taken part in restorative justice, where she met her police officer victim face to face and answered questions through a third party for the taxi driver victim. She had also written letters of apology.

Kirsopp, who was representing herself, said: "I needed a taxi to Coundon. It was all because I didn't have enough money for the taxi. I had been drinking all day. it was totally out of character. I got in the taxi and I didn't have the right money and I kicked off."

She said that she was planning on seeking help for anger management issues and other mental health problems.

"I shouldn't have took it out on the taxi driver," she added. "I didn't realise how much it had affected both the taxi driver and the police officer."