Shouldn't really have bothered with this, but did the usual thing of reading it while putting it on here, and by the time I realised there wasn't much of a trade angle, the whole thing was on here anyway
But obviously it was the headline which gave the impression it was job. Well, maybe it was, and he lost his badge as a consequence, but the only other mention of the t-word is in the final paragraph, and that's inconclusive
Former taxi driver punched and tried to bite another driver in road rage attackhttps://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/no ... d-33219526Gary Tiffin, of South Shields, dangerously undertook the victim, caused a collision then repeatedly punched and tried to bite himhttps://i2-prod.chroniclelive.co.uk/art ... tiffin.jpgA motorist was assaulted in his car during a terrifying road rage attack. Former taxi driver Gary Tiffin repeatedly punched the victim and tried to bite him after causing a collision by his dangerous driving.
Newcastle Crown Court heard it was on May 12 last year that the victim was driving on John Reid Road, in South Shields, when Tiffin undertook him a number of times. On one occasion, he braked suddenly in front of him, which caused a collision.
Both vehicles then stopped and Tiffin approached the other man's car window and repeatedly punched him in the head. He then opened the door and put the victim in a headlock and repeatedly tried to bite him on the head and leg.
He got into the car and tried to remove his dash cam and caused damage to the rear view mirror. Tiffin then took the ignition keys and threw them down the road.
The victim suffered relatively minor injuries, including to his lower lip and hands and he had blood on his face and leg when police attended. In a victim impact statement, he said: "I was shaken during this incident.
"This man injured me and threatened to put me to sleep, making me fear for my life. I don't know this male, I don't know where he lives or who he knows, which makes me fearful."
Tiffin, 34, of Colman Avenue, South Shields, who has 12 previous convictions, including for assault and drug driving, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, dangerous driving and criminal damage. He was sentenced to 10 months suspended for 18 months, with 100 hours unpaid work and a mental health treatment requirement. He must pay the victim £2,500 compensation for the damage he caused and is banned from driving for 18 months.
Judge Robert Adams told him: "Clearly, something about his driving upset and angered you. You thought he brake-checked you - I suspect that's because you were driving far too close behind him.
"You got frustrated and undertook him dangerously on several occasions and braked suddenly. On one occasion you caused a collision.
"It was the anniversary of your mum's death and you were angry about him driving too slowly. You antagonised him by beeping your horn and flashing him.
"This was an attack in public and a road rage incident which is an aggravating feature."
Rachel Buck, defending, said: "He had been driving down the road and he perceived the complainant as having brake-checked him.
"He expresses remorse and accepts responsibility for the offending behaviour. It was an awful display of behaviour and something that should never have occurred." Miss Buck said Tiffin's traumatic childhood, mental health issues and the fact it was the anniversary of his mother's death contributed to his behaviour.
The court heard Tiffin used to be a taxi driver but is now in well-paid employment.
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