King's Lynn taxi driver racially abused in fare row, court toldhttps://www.lynnnews.co.uk/news/taxi-dr ... d-9067303/A court has heard how a King's Lynn taxi driver was subjected to a sustained racist rant from a drunk and drugged Emneth woman.
Briony Beckett was angry over the proposed £33 fare during the incident last October and threatened the Sri Lankan national that she would tell the police he had “done something to her”.
Lynn magistrates were told on Monday that 22-year-old Beckett, who was with a friend at the time of the incident, told the driver that police would believe her because there were two of them and only one of him.
Giles Beaumont, prosecuting, said Beckett accused the driver of being “Taliban” and made other racist remarks as the pair were returned to the Lynn taxi office.
In a victim impact statement, which was read to the court, the driver said Beckett’s threat of the call to police made him feel “very vulnerable”.
He added: “I’ve been a driver in King’s Lynn for ten years. I was extremely upset.
“Her entire attitude towards me made me feel uncomfortable.”
The court also heard that, when Beckett was arrested, she was found to have a class A drug on her.
Beckett, of Lady’s Drove, Emneth, pleaded guilty to charges of racially aggravated harassment and possession of methylamphetamine on October 21 last year.
Mitigating for the self-employed barber, Andrew Cogan said the whole event was “drink and drug-fuelled” and Beckett is now living a “very quiet life”.
He added: “She’s deeply ashamed and, indeed, mortified at the offence she has caused to [the taxi driver].
“She’s taken stock of her position and she wants me to share to the court that she doesn’t intend to do that again.
“Of course, the court will have little sympathy with her but she was subjected to some pretty rough handling by the police as he was put in the van. So there are a number of ways she has learnt her lesson.”
Mr Cogan added: “In the context of recent events the words [Beckett used] must have been deeply upsetting to a Sri Lankan taxi driver going about his business in the early hours of a Sunday morning.”
For each of the two offences, Beckett was fined £120. She was also told to pay £100 in compensation to the taxi driver. No order was made for costs or a victim surcharge in order to prioritise compensation.
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