Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver attacked in bid to avoid fare


A Milford Haven man, who smashed a taxi window and attacked the driver to dodge paying the fare, has been given 18 months of community work.

Anthony Thomas, aged 22, of Great North Road, was arrested after smashing a taxi window and assaulting the driver to avoid paying the £71 fare that his girlfriend’s sister clocked up.

Thomas was pressured into doing whatever it took to get his girlfriend’s sister out of Milford Haven, where she was involved in a violent argument, the court was told.

David Weale, prosecuting, said that Thomas ordered a taxi to Neyland, armed himself with a piece of wood to frighten the driver, but decided to smash the window.

He said: “Mr Thomas had no intention of paying the fare, so he turned to criminal damage, and armed himself with a weapon.”

Jon Tarrant, defending, said the incident outlined an extreme reaction by Thomas.

He said: “When I asked him why he had done it, he just put his head in his hands.

“There are possible imbalances in the way he judges his relationships, he almost feels like he is trying too hard, or that if he doesn’t do what he’s told, his relationship will fail.

“Mr Thomas’ partner was screaming and hysterical, because she felt that something bad was going to happen to her sister.

“The majority of people would have dealt with the situation, and wouldn’t have taken that extra step.

“There is something in Mr Thomas’ psyche that prompted him to act in the manner that he did.”

Thomas pleaded guilty to assault by beating and to causing criminal damage.

He was given an 18-month community order, including 18 months of community supervision and thinking skills programme, by magistrates.

Magistrates also ordered him to compensate the taxi driver £200 for his vehicle and £100 for his injuries, and pay £60 costs.

source: http://www.milfordmercury.co.uk/news/9329537.Taxi_driver_attacked_in_bid_to_avoid_fare/

Borough Green cabbie beaten by passenger tells of his ordeal


A BOROUGH Green taxi driver who was beaten and left to choke on his own blood drove himself eight miles to safety with smashed glasses and a broken nose.

Edward Bingle, 64, of Highview, Vigo, was allegedly assaulted after driving a customer home from the Vigo Inn, Gravesend Road, Fairseat, on October 8.

Mr Bingle claims his passenger punched him repeatedly in the face and left him unconscious.

"He said he'd had more to drink than usual but he was perfectly friendly," the driver explained.

"Then during the journey his personality changed completely.

"He started calling me fat, swearing and shouting at me to drive faster.

"I kept going and tried to calm him down but he just got more and more angry."

When the cab arrived in Tonbridge, the man refused to pay and got out.

Mr Bingle said: "He was shouting through the open window so I picked up my phone hoping he would think I was calling the police.

"He grabbed it and threw it into a tree, shouting 'you don't know who you are messing with'.

"Then he reached into the cab and started hitting me.

"It all happened so fast and hurt so much, I can hardly remember it."

"When I came round I was choking on blood and it was all over my shirt and the side of the car."

Mr Bingle radioed the Borough Green Taxi Service office to report the incident but was too scared to stay at the scene so drove back.

Controller Donna Derouel called the police and an ambulance.

She said: "I talked to him the whole way.

"His glasses were smashed so he couldn't see properly and he was really shaken.

"When he arrived he looked like he had gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson.

"He had blood coming out of his nose and mouth – I was scared he was going to have a heart attack."

Mr Bingle was taken by ambulance to Maidstone Hospital with a loose tooth, a broken nose, cut lip and two black eyes, and kept overnight.

He said: "My face is still really swollen so I have to have an x-ray next week to see if a bone in my cheek is chipped.

Mr Bingle is also suffering psychological effects from the attack. He explained: "I have never felt scared driving my cab before but I feel so vulnerable now – it was so unexpected and violent."

Investigating police officer Rory Niblock said: "Taxi drivers can be very vulnerable and CCTV is a great way to deter criminals while making drivers and law-abiding passengers feel safer. In this particular case, the investigation is very much ongoing and we are continuing to follow up lines of enquiry."

source: http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Borough-Green-cabbie-beaten-passenger-tells/story-13675155-detail/story.html

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

Shame he didn't rotate it 180%.

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IDFIMH

Tonbridge rugby player's shame at attack on cabbie in fare row

A PROMINENT Tonbridge rugby player and charity fundraiser has told of his shame after being sentenced for attacking a taxi driver.

Former Tonbridge Juddians club captain Tony Stolton, of Higham Lane, knocked 65-year-old cabbie Edward Bingle unconscious in a row over a fare.

Stolton argued it was an accident but on Wednesday Sevenoaks magistrates disagreed, handing out a suspended jail sentence and ordering him to carry out 200 hours' community work for what they described as an intentional assault.

The 42-year-old told the Courier: "I felt totally embarrassed when I found out how old he was.

"I think I handled the situation very poorly, to be honest."

Stolton had been at a rugby function in Vigo on October 8 and, at about 10.30pm, had called for a taxi, which was driven by Mr Bingle of Borough Green Taxis.

Upon arriving at Stolton's house, Mr Bingle said a drunken Stolton refused to pay the £18 taxi fare, took his mobile phone from him as he picked it up to call for help and then punched him in the face.

Stolton had previously admitted the assault causing actual bodily harm but told the court it was unintentional, saying: "He had hold of my cuff. I'd had a drink and I just swung my arm.

"I didn't intend to hit him – I'm over 20 stone. It was just a reckless swing of the arm."

The court was told Mr Bingle had suffered a cracked nose and cheek and had been treated at hospital after being knocked unconscious by the blow.

He told the court of his terror, saying: "I knew he was volatile but I just wanted to get him home.

"Then we were in a dark lane and I didn't know the road. I'd no idea what was going to happen."

When he regained consciousness, Mr Bingle was able to radio his bosses who then called for help.

"I was very scared because I didn't know how long I'd been unconscious," he tearfully told the court.

Outside court, Stolton told the Courier he had "been a little hard done by".

The dad of two said: "This whole thing has been dreadful but I'm just going to pick things up again and try to move past it."

Stolton, who runs an electrical business, is a well-known community figure in Tonbridge, raising thousands of pounds for different charities, including Hospice in the Weald. He said he was determined to continue his charity work.

Stolton was ordered to pay £500 compensation to Mr Bingle and £365 costs. His jail sentence of 60 days was suspended for two years.

http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Tonbridge-r ... story.html

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

I'd say he's bloody lucky not to be eating porridge this morning. Asshole.

_________________

http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

The 42-year-old told the Courier: "I felt totally embarrassed when I found out how old he was.


Oh so if he'd been 35 it would be ok then?

I'm a former Rugby player myself, left prop and I always remember anyone who didn't play fair soon got told no thx, I've watched over the years to see biting,spitting and sly digging become part of the game, anyone who plays rugby who thinks this is how it's played is so wrong, you play it as a Queensbury thug not a girl in a disco fight, i.e you go in hard, you may hurt or get hurt doing so but you never play with intent to hurt,

Personally this man looks like one of those oh so sorry types when he gets leashed in, but likes to show everyone who he is, I didn't know he was in his 70's, didn't the lines on his face and the veins in his hands give it away a bit? looks a bit of an I'm bigger than you thug despite his charity work, lets hope he has a mirror and put's his bulk into the positives in future rather than if I don't get my own way I'll nut ya.