Another ruck over a payment dispute - this time the more modern worry of the declined card payment
Edinburgh Airport worker tried to bite taxi driver and struck him with phone during drunken night-outhttps://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scot ... e-24895478Alan Harkins got into a dispute with the cabbie after being unable to pay his fare before launching the attack.
Image: Daily RecordAn Edinburgh Airport worker tried to bite a taxi driver and smashed him over the head with a phone during a drunken night-out.
Alan Harkins attacked the cabbie after being unable to pay for his fare and put the 59-year-old victim in hospital.
The 42-year-old is now set to lose his airport job as his assault conviction is likely to see him stripped of his security credentials.
Harkins appeared at the city’s sheriff court on Thursday and admitted assaulting Francis McDonald and threatening or abusive behaviour.
Fiscal depute Christine Brownlie said Harkins had got into Francis’ cab at a rank in Picardy Place, near the Edinburgh Playhouse, at around 9.30pm and asked to go to Leith’s Balfour Street.
But when they arrived, the court heard Harkins first alleged he was in the wrong place then his card was declined for payment.
Ms Brownlie said Harkins asked to be driven elsewhere to find a friend who could pay the fare for him and soon became “abusive”.
Harkins called the cabbie a “f***ing dirty b*****d” and a “f***ing c***”, the court was told, before he started to kick the taxi’s Perspex partition and seats.
Ms Brownlie said Francis pulled over in Claremont Park and got out alongside his passenger.
She said Harkins “lunged towards” the driver, putting his arms around his neck and “attempting to bite him to the face”.
The pair fell to the ground, she said, and there was a violent struggle with Harkins punching Francis to the face, bursting his lip.
Harkins struck the victim to the head with his phone, opening another cut, while Francis also suffered grazes to his hand and knee.
Ms Brownlie said the cabbie went to hospital for treatment following the incident on March 15 2019.
Defence agent Ruairidh Mulheron said Harkins had been “drinking heavily” at various pubs with a pal.
Mr Mulheron said his client alleged he’d asked to be driven to Buchanan Street, near his Leith home, but was taken to Balfour Street instead.
The solicitor said Harkins, a first offender, was “absolutely horrified by his behaviour”, adding: “He finds it hard to believe he acted in such a manner.”
Mr Mulheron said Harkins worked in customer services at the airport and it was “almost certain” he would lose his employment due to the criminal conviction.
Sheriff Peter McCormack told Harkins it was “an inexplicable one-off incident which seems to have been caused by alcohol”. He ordered him to pay £800 in compensation to the victim.
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