Taxi Driver Online

Another photo appeal over an incident that happened over two months ago

The photo below is rendered smaller on the Chronicle's website, and I didn't even notice the image of the suspect initially. And, of course, these websites are very, er, cluttered, so the photo of the suspect just didn't jump out, as I scrolled down the page looking for the text of the article hiding between the usual adverts, sponsored links etc. I just thought it was a stock photo of a police car.

Not a big deal, but someone just flitting around websites like the Chronicle's and maybe skim reading stuff might not even notice the photo of the suspect, and thus miss a chance to ID him


Taxi driver physically assaulted after South Shields fare-dodging drama, with police now on hunt for mystery offender

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/no ... t-25409071

The aggressive passenger left the vehicle damaged and Northumbria Police now want to track down the person responsible


Image: Northumbria Police/Chronicle Live

Officers are searching for a man after a taxi driver was physically assaulted over a fare dispute.

Northumbria Police received a report that a man refused to pay for the taxi fare upfront when he got in the car in Keppel Street, South Shields, at around 3am on Sunday, August 28.

He is then said to have become aggressive before physically assaulting the driver and booting the car door, leaving it damaged.

The man fled the scene on foot after he was challenged by the taxi driver, with an investigation now launched to find the person responsible.

Police now want to speak with a man who was in Keppel Street at the time. Officers believe he could hold valuable information to help with the investigation.

The man pictured, or anyone who recognises him, is asked to contact Northumbria Police via their website or by calling 101 quoting crime number 101965S/22.

This is the original photo, as posted on the Northumbria Police Facebook page. Obviously taken from inside a car, but whether it was the cab driver who took it isn't clear.

If I saw the photo without context I'd assume it was taken in daylight, but since the incident happened in the early hours it's presumably artificial light. Unless, of course, it was somehow taken at a different time

And over 100 comments on the police Facebook page, most of them sneering about the quality of the photo

I mean, is it not permissible to use the photo unless it reaches a certain quality threshold?

OK, it's not the best photo, but the suspect should be recognisable by people who know him reasonably well

you are assuming a lot about the moral fibre of his friends and family

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Indeed, Edders, but even if the photo was taken from ten feet on an iPhone 14 Pro, it would probably still take people hostile or indifferent to the suspect to make the identification rather than those who feel some sort of loyalty to him.

So the poor image quality makes it less likely he'll be identified, but it's still the usual friend v foe dynamic that will decide whether anyone who does recognise him gets in touch with police.