Taxi Driver Online

EVENING CHRONICLE (Newcastle, UK)

January 19, 2007 Friday

HEADLINE: Taxi man jailed for attack - Victim thrown onto bonnet

A taxi driver who deliberately drove at a man, throwing him onto the bonnet, has been jailed for six months and banned from the roads for two years. Iain Archer, angry after his girlfriend Gillian Reay was attacked when a Boxing Day party ended in chaos, also struck a woman as he tried to drive off.

Now Archer, 36, of Grange Street, Pelton, near Chester-le-Street, faces losing his taxi licence as a result of the case, Durham Crown Court was told yesterday.

Archer was originally charged with four counts of assault causing actual bodily harm, as he was accused of striking up to four people in the incident in Brecon Place, Perkinsville, next to Pelton, on December 26, 2005.

He had denied the four charges and was to have stood trial but he changed two of the pleas to guilty, relating to Gregory Ash, 42, and Suzanne Baker, 31, who were at the party next door to his girlfriend's home in a cul-de-sac.

Ron Mitchell, prosecuting, said, the trouble started when Ms Reay's mother, who lived with her daughter rang the Ash family and asked them to keep the noise down. Alison Ash and three other women from the party went to speak to Ms Reay and there was "minor violence" and the police were called.

Ms Reay then phoned Archer who was out working and he drove to the scene, said Mr Mitchell. When he arrived at the scene Gregory Ash, who was dressed in a Santa outfit, was in the cul-de-sac.

Archer shouted at him "I'll ....... have you" and drove straight at him, hitting him on the face and knees and throwing him onto the bonnet. Miss Baker, a friend of the Ash family, chased after the taxi and she was hit by the left wing and wing mirror.

Men from the party then struggled with Archer and tried to get the taxi keys and Archer began to cry. Mr Mitchell said fortunately Mr Ash and Miss Gregory only suffered minor injuries, including bruising and grazing.

When Archer was arrested he told officers he accepted what he had done and added: "I thought I'm going to get you and I went for Gregory. I just wanted them to be hurt in the way Gillian had." Warren Grier, for Archer, said: "He deeply regrets this incident and it will have a profound effect on his future.

"There's a meeting of the licensing committee next month and it is almost certain his licence will be revoked and he will be unable to carry on his job." He said Archer was the victim of an assault just months before in which his nose was broken.
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This was not a Newcastle Taxi Driver ................ it was a Chester le Street Taxi driver.

and we complain when the press get it wrong.

B. Lucky

_________________
"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

I only glanced at it because I was on my way out. I would have changed it once I returned and read it fully. The wonders of Technology mean we can rectify our mistakes instantly lol.

Regards

JD