Taxi Driver Online

June 11, 2007 Monday

Cabbie attack man, 25, jailed

York Press

A PASSENGER who broke a taxi driver's cheekbone with a single punch has been jailed.

Prosecutor David Garnett said Peter McKie wanted his three fares out of his vehicle because of the way they were behaving.

He had picked them up in York city centre and driven them to Clifton in the early hours of November 24. But back seat passenger Lee Barry Coombs reacted by punching him so hard he felt that he had been hit by a hammer.

The single blow broke Mr McKie's cheekbone, York Crown Court heard. "Taxi drivers will be given such protection as the courts can manage - after the event," said the Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman.

He jailed Coombs, 25, of Eastholme Drive, Clifton, for 21 months. Coombs pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Mr McKie, assaulting James Smith in a separate incident, attempted deception and possessing cocaine.

Mr Garnett said Coombs was on bail for the attack on Mr McKie when he confronted Mr Smith in Burdyke Avenue, Clifton, York, on February 27. Coombs appeared to be high on alcohol or drugs.

He accused Mr Smith of putting his nephew's father in prison and threatened: "I am going to kill you. I am going to shoot you." In reality, all he did was punch Mr Smith in the face.

He was also caught with cocaine at a York bowling venue on Christmas Day and tried to con an ASDA customer services' employee to hand over a refund for a DVD he had just picked up in the store. He failed to get either refund or keep the DVD.

For Coombs, Helen Hendry said he wanted to go to prison to sort himself out. He had drunk too much on November 24 and misinterpreted the situation. He wrongly thought the taxi driver was behaving inappropriately to the woman in the front seat.

In February, he believed Mr Smith had given the police information which led them to his sister's husband having to answer police questions. Although innocent, the police action led to his sister's husband having difficulties at work.

He was hoping to get work as a joiner on leaving prison and was also getting treatment for depression while behind bars.
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Very noble of the scumbag.

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IDFIMH