He doesn't look like the normal perp for this kind of thing, but then again the 'assault by beating' doesn't sound like very much
Cost him a few bob, though...
Drunk passenger attacked Swindon taxi driver over farehttps://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/new ... iver-fare/
Image: Twitter/Swindon AdvertiserA drunk man assaulted a Swindon taxi driver after three failed attempts to pay the fare.David Eyres, of Shrivenham Road, appeared in the dock at Swindon Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The 40-year-old pleaded guilty to assault by beating and possessing a small amount of cannabis on January 19, 2025.
Abby Winters, prosecuting, said: “At around midnight, a taxi driver gave the defendant a lift back to his home address.
“Due to intoxication, [the defendant] could not give the address at first. The journey was quite quiet, but when the driver asked him to pay, the defendant attempted to pay with a credit card several times but walked away before the payment went through.
“After the third time, the driver called him back. The defendant stared at him and lunged towards him and attacked him for no reason.”
According to the taxi driver, Eyres “reached through the window and was right in my face and tried to grab my phone, asking ‘You want trouble?’”
There was some contact between the defendant’s hand and the left side of the victim’s face, which left him “shocked and scared”.
The taxi driver did eventually receive payment for the fare before the defendant went inside.
When police visited Eyres’ address, they found a small amount of cannabis and a grinder on a kitchen counter, and arrested him for two offences.
Mr Wilson, defending, explained that his client has previously had trouble with drink and worked well with probation to complete courses relating to this problem, but the end of a recent relationship led to “some difficult emotional times”.
He added: “He made the regrettable decision to have a drink and, after abstaining from it for so long, the amount he had consumed had a considerable impact on his abilities.
“He was shocked and horrified by his actions and said that a taxi driver should not have to deal with that behaviour.
“He genuinely believed the driver had taken his phone and he attempted to retrieve it. He is very remorseful and regretful.”
Magistrates ordered Eyres to pay a fine of £900 for the assault and an extra fine of £100 for the drugs offence, as well as £85 in court costs, plus £400 to fund victim services and £200 in compensation to the victim.
The Class B drug has been forfeited and destroyed.
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