Community service for knife-wielding cabbie
Published 27 May 2011
A taxi driver who pulled a knife out on his passengers before crashing his cab has steered clear of a prison sentence.
Ronald Fones from Jedburgh was transporting three clubbers from Peebles back from Galashiels when the journey turned nasty near Walkerburn.
The 64-year-old was found guilty of reckless driving and brandishing a bladed weapon at an earlier hearing of Peebles Sheriff Court.
April's trial had heard how Euan Forsyth, 22, Dean Wood, 23 and Marcus Thomson, 21, were all in Fones' taxi following a night out.
And how a dispute over the fare led to a bizarre sequence of events - which saw the driver pulling a knife, Mr Thomson being hurled from the cab and dragged along the road, and the Ford Mondeo car ending up on to its roof.
Trainee mechanic Euan Forsyth told the court how the journey from hell began for him and his two pals after a night out clubbing in Galashiels, when they paid Fones £30 to be taken the 18 miles journey home.
He said: "It was a totally normal taxi ride until we got to Walkerburn. Then he demanded another £30 and we told him no way. An argument broke out and he ended up pulling a knife.
"He then pulled into a layby and told us to get out but as Marcus attempted to step out he pulled away again, back in the direction of Galashiels."
Farmer Marcus Thomson told the court: "I was left hanging on, half in and out of the car as he sped away.
"Euan was trying to pull me back in but eventually after about 15 metres I couldn't hang on any more and fell out onto the road clutching Euan's shoe. I suffered a fair few cuts and bruises and had a sore hip for a while after it."
All four men escaped with only minor injuries.
Fones denied receiving the initial £30 payment from the trio.
And claimed the argument only broke out when they began telling him they had paid.
The former soldier did however admit to having a knife in the car.
Sheriff Drummond deferred sentence until Wednesday to allow for social inquiry and community service reports.
At this week's hearing defence agent Iain Burke said: "Mr Fones respects the decision but is unhappy and frustrated at the outcome. This entire incident was an extremely odd situation. His taxi licence has been suspended as a result and he has to attend a hearing this Friday at which it is likely that he will lose this licence."
Fones was sentenced to 120 hours community service.
Sheriff Kevin Drummond added: "Mr Fones, you are the driver of a public service vehicle, who produced a knife in the course of a dispute about a fare, this is a very serious matter and an extraordinary incident.
"However fortunately for you I feel your age and lack of record are reasons enough to not deal with this by way of custody."
Source; http://www.peeblesshirenews.com/news/ro ... ng-cabbie/
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