Violent thug threatens to smash in taxi driver's face before kicking policehttps://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/wes ... i-31508213A Leeds man who refused to get out of a taxi and threatened to smash the driver's face in has been jailed.
Bobby Smith, 21, appeared at Leeds Crown Court in January and had his sentence deferred to Friday morning, but has now been put behind bars after a judge said he did not comply with the court order.
His Honour His Simon Batiste said it was on November 16 last year that Smith, of Lower Mickletown, refused to get out of the taxi in Pontefract. He said: "Police arrived and you were being threatening to him [the driver] and threatening to smash his face in. Police attempted to get you out and you refused and you threatened to knock the taxi driver out.
"You were arrested and on your way to the police station made a number of threats of what you were going to do in terms of threats to the police. You refused to get out of the police vehicle and PARVA spray was deployed. In the holding cell you kicked a female police officer to her leg."
The court heard Smith was in breach of a suspended sentence order that was imposed in May last year for dangerous driving. It was said he breached it again and his unpaid working hours were extended in September last year.
The judge said: "You are now before the court for further breaches of that order as a result of matters. You appeared before me for sentence for the committal for sentence on 30th January this year. I heard the case opened and mitigated and as a result decided to defer your sentence until today before me."
It was said the judge imposed three conditions: That Smith commit no further offences, attended all probation appointments and complete unpaid work. The court heard that since those conditions were imposed he had been offered nine appointments and had attended five, three of which absences were acceptable to the Probation Service, but the judge said it did not mean they were acceptable to him.
Mitigating, Tom Doyle, said: "Custody would be catastrophic for him at this stage and he will be wasted the prospect of rehabilitation."
The judge jailed Smith for eight months and told him: "It is clear that despite being warned in crystal clear terms if you failed to comply with the order [what would happen] and you have failed. It shows you have no real regard for the order."
Smith will have to serve half of his sentence in custody before being released on licence.
Login
Register
FAQ
