Taxi Driver Online

Yorkshire Evening Post

January 24, 2008

Racist thug avoids jail for taxi assault

A RACIST thug who launched an unprovoked attack on a taxi driver has escaped going to jail.

Drunken Sean Queenan, 46, repeatedly punched taxi driver Adnan Zafar who had picked him and a woman up who were having a row, from the Eagle Tavern on North Street, Leeds one afternoon in May last year.

Leeds Crown Court heard Queenan launched a volley of racial abuse after Mr Zafar asked for directions.

Prosecuting, Michael Smith said: "The defendant began swearing at him, calling him a '[edited by admin] [edited by admin]', the defendant began punching him to the back of his left shoulder and right ear. He stopped the car and asked them to get out."

The court heard Queenan continued punching Mr Zafar's chest and repeatedly called him "[edited by admin] [edited by admin]". He went into a house on Raincliffe Road, closed gates behind him and continued to shout racial abuse at other taxi drivers who arrived to help Mr Zafar.

Police arrived and he shouted abuse at officers before being tackled to the floor.

The court heard Mr Zafar suffered pain in his arm and shoulder and said the racial abuse was offensive and unnecessary.

Queenan has 22 previous convictions for 52 offences including threatening behaviour, possessing an offensive weapon and assault.

When he committed this offence he was in breach of a conditional discharge imposed by Leeds Magistrates in July 2006 for being drunk and disorderly.

Mitigating, Richard Reid said: "He clearly has a major drink problem, he is drinking very heavily on a daily basis. His attitude is very much there is nothing else to do in life other than to go drinking with his partner after work. He has never considered his consumption is a problem."

Queenan of Raincliffe Road, East End Park, Leeds previously pleaded guilty to racially aggravated common assault. He was given a six month jail sentence suspended for 12 months, a two year supervision order, and ordered to attend alcohol abuse and racially motivated offender programmes.
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