Taxi Driver Online

Judge pledges to protect taxi drivers

A JUDGE has pledged that the courts will protect taxi drivers after hearing how a drunken teenager had forced a Bournemouth cabbie to drive him home. Plumber Benjamin Park, 19, from Prospect Road, Lytchett Matravers, was sent to a young offenders' institution for nine months after admitting blackmailing a driver working for Poole Radio Cabs.

Prosecuting at Bournemouth Crown Court, Clifford Grier said the cabbie had been called to a Bournemouth wine bar at about 2 am on February 3. Park was one of five "heavily intoxicated and rowdy young men" who got into the vehicle. When the driver asked them to get out, four agreed to leave but Park remained in the back seat.

Mr Grier said: "He insisted on being taken to his destination and leaned over, putting an arm around the driver's neck. He told him that unless he drove on, he would beat him up."

Mr Grier added that the victim had decided to continue the journey because he felt "frightened and shaken" by Park's aggressive behaviour. "The defendant was screaming abuse and threatening to hit him, putting his fist up into the driver's face," he said.

As they drove through Poole, Park pulled the handbrake up, causing the taxi to skid across the road, and threw his passport at the driver before running off. He was traced from his passport details and arrested later that morning.

In his defence the court heard that the incident had been "a huge indiscretion" on Park's part and the amount of alcohol he had consumed had caused a memory black-out.

Even though he couldn't remember what had happened, he had still entered an early guilty plea and was remorseful. He also admitted breaching a conditional discharge.

Judge John Harrow told Park: "You were clearly in a very drunken state on this night, repeatedly using physical force and threats to a taxi driver doing his job.

"Taxi drivers perform an important public service, particularly in the hours of the night. They are vulnerable because they have no idea when they take on a passenger how that passenger will behave. Consequently the courts will protect them."

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IDFIMH

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IDFIMH

Why did he throw his passport at him??

How many people take their passport out on the p!ss with them?

18 year old idiots that want to get lashed up.

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IDFIMH