Taxi Driver Online

Thug attacked cabbie and tried to steal his taxi in Basildon

https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/191821 ... -basildon/

A DRUNK thug pummelled a taxi driver over the head and then tried to drive off in his cab.

Patrick Stokes has been spared jail after he grabbed the driver and squeezed his head, before chasing him down the road threatening to kill him.

The 46-year-old had been at the Jolly Fryer in Whitmore Way, Basildon on Boxing Day 2018.

Stokes and two women got into the taxi outside the pub, with Stokes in the front. The driver could tell immediately that he was drunk.

Stokes told the driver to take him to an address in Oak Road in Crays Hill, but after five minutes Stokes demanded the driver pull over, complaining about the route he had taken.

Stokes also demanded the driver stop at an open store so he could buy more alcohol.

When the driver refused, Stokes grabbed his head on both sides and squeezed hard, before letting go and punching him several times in the chest and neck.

The driver managed to grab his phone and get out of the car and retreat. Stokes chased him away shouting “I will kill you”, before going back to the taxi and trying to drive it away.

However, Stokes did not realise the handbrake was on, so he couldn’t go anywhere.

After shouting further threats at the driver, he ran off.

Stokes, of Beechwood Avenue, Greenford, Middlesex, appeared at Basildon Crown Court yesterday where he admitted assault, making threats to kill, attempted theft and the theft of some cash from the taxi - which was later recovered.

Mitigation for Stokes said that he had been going through a difficult time at home with his son being in and out of hospital due to a severe illness, and he had turned to drinking alcohol to cope with the pressures.

The court heard that since the incident Stokes has reduced his alcohol intake and “learned the error of his ways”.

Recorder William Clegg QC said: “This was a disgraceful act on your part which must have terrified the taxi driver who was the victim of this sustained attack by you.”

Recorder Clegg said that the offence was old and that Stokes’ criminal record “was not as bad as many in this court” and gave him an eight month suspended sentence.

He must also complete 200 hours unpaid work and pay £300 compensation.

So looks like he got a lighter sentence because it happened two years and three months ago.

So if something like this takes a long time to get to court (for whatever reason), then that's in the perp's favour?

I suspect the reason he got a low sentence, IMO, was he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge. Maybe a witness didn't turn up to prove any more serious charge.

Basically this was a robbery and that should have meant custody, IMO.

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