Taxi Driver Online

£205 cost of dodging taxi fare

A COUPLE who dodged a £5 taxi fare have ended up having to fork out £205.

Hartlepool pair Lorraine Crangle and Stephen Watson, both 21, evaded the taxi driver when neither of them could lay their hands on any cash.

Police were called and found Crangle hiding in an empty pond and Watson asleep after sinking 19 pints, Hartlepool Magistrates Court heard.

Lynne Dalton, prosecuting, said the taxi driver picked the couple up at 11.50pm and they asked to be taken to Jesmond Gardens.

She added: “When they arrived, he went into the house to get some money and she waited in the taxi.

“Moment later he called her in and when she came out, she asked the driver to take her to the shop to get some money.”

The court heard the bank machine was not working. They went back to the house and Crangle went inside.

“The taxi driver waited for 10 minutes and then phoned the police,” said Ms Dalton.

“Police came but the defendants refused to answer the door. Entry was gained by breaking the door down.

“The female defendant was found hiding in a pond. She told police she thought he had paid the fare.

“When interviewed he said he could not remember getting in the taxi, but remembers falling asleep and the police coming in. He said that night he had drunk a total of 19 pints.”

Crangle, of Ashwood Close, and Watson, of Jesmond Gardens, both pleaded guilty to making off without payment on November 12.

They represented themselves in court and did not wish to say anything about the incident.

Magistrates fined them £60 each and ordered them both to pay £40 costs and £2.50 compensation.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

At last the Courts are taking notice and taking our Trade and livleiehood seriously!

I had one last year - refused to pay; caused damage to the cab etc. his blood was all over the broken window etc - he got 3 months inside - great result until you read the small print - he swore at Police and got done for that alone; I was left with the repair bill! But alas the local press reported it as three months for refusing to pay taxi fare and the number of runner stopped for a while at least

Bearing in mind cab fares in Hartlepool are about the cheapest in the UK, this couple could have hired 100 taxis.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin