Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver allegedly had knife held to his throat by 'fare-dodging passenger' in South Tyneside

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/no ... r-29250478

A taxi driver was just doing his job when he was allegedly threatened with a knife and left fearing he would not see his family again.

The driver, who asked not to be named, said he feared he was going to die on Saturday morning when a passenger allegedly held a knife to his throat.

The dad-of-two said: "I thought that's it, I'm not going to see my family again", the driver told ChronicleLive.

It was shortly after 12am on Saturday when the driver said he picked up a male passenger from Hebburn and took him to a house in Jarrow. But on arrival, he says the passenger claimed that he was leaving the car to retrieve money from the house.

The driver said that after waiting in his taxi outside the house for some time he decided to knock on the door to ask for the fare. However, when the passenger answered he allegedly said he didn't have money and would pay "in a few days".

He added: "I asked if he could give me something [that he would get back once he had paid]."

The driver claims that the passenger said he could take a photo of his driving licence but could not take anything away to guarantee payment. It is alleged that the passenger then pulled a knife from his back pocket before holding it to the driver's throat.

The driver said: "All I was saying to him was 'put your knife away, put your knife away'."

The incident was reported to Northumbria Police who were on the scene within minutes. A man has now been charged with threatening a person with a bladed article and making off without payment.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: "Just after 1am on Saturday (May 25), we received a report of a disturbance on Cedar Drive, in Jarrow. It was reported that the victim, a male taxi driver, was in his vehicle when a male passenger refused to pay a fare.

"Following a disagreement, it was reported that the passenger then threatened the driver with a bladed article. The offender then made off from the scene. The victim was unhurt in the incident.

"Following the report an investigation was launched and officers arrested a man. The man, David Newsome, 52, of no fixed abode, has now been charged with threatening a person with a bladed article and making off without payment."

Newsome appeared before magistrates in Newcastle on Monday and will next appear at Newcastle Crown Court on June 24.

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IDFIMH

Whats the likelihood of when this gets to court he'll have a sob story of how he's a recovering drug addict who has lost everything and will get a lenient sentence.

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Taxi driver threatened with knife after South Tyneside fare dodger claimed his cash had been stolen

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/no ... d-29781503



A fare dodger who threatened a taxi driver with a knife has been jailed.

David Newsome, 52, threatened the taxi driver after receiving a ride from Hebburn to Jarrow in May this year. Newcastle Crown Court heard once they arrived at the address, Newsome went into the property "expecting to find some cash".

But the court heard Newsome couldn't find any money and went back to the taxi. The court was told Newsome, of Cedar Drive, Jarrow, was angry and believed a homeless person had taken the cash.

During sentencing, Judge Tim Gittins said: "What is clear is you had booked a taxi without means to pay immediately on you. You got to your address expecting to find cash that appears to have been taken by a homeless man."

Judge Gittins said Newsome returned to the taxi and was angry about the money being taken, adding: "if that's what happened." He said Newsome took his anger out on the taxi driver, adding: "You lunged at him with the knife and pressed that knife several times towards him while making threats towards him. "

Judge Gittins said it was unclear whether Newsome was "carrying the knife anyway, or decided to pick it up when you were in the house, either way you took it to the taxi and threatened him with it.

Newsome pleaded guilty to threatening a person with a bladed article and making off without payment. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

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IDFIMH

I'm sure he'll be out in 4 to make way for the "right wing thugs" convicted of shouting at a police dog

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector