JUST DESERTS


SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR DRUNK YOB WHO ABUSED DERBY CABBIE BEFORE ATTACKING POLICE


A taxi driver was racially abused during an unprovoked attack in Derby


city centre. Southern


Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court heard that when police arrived to arrest Harris he struck one of them before assaulting a second officer when he was taken into custody. At the time of the offence he was already subject to a community order for a similar conviction imposed just months earlier. Handing Harris a 12-week jail term, suspended for a year, the chair of the bench said: “This is your last chance. The ball is in your court, you are very lucky you are going home.” Lynn Bickley, prosecuting, said the offences took place at around


12.30am on July 17, last year. She said the victim was driving his taxi and had stopped at traffic lights in Curzon Street when Harris sud- denly appeared and grabbed hold of an open window. The prosecutor said the driver set off, then stopped as he did not want to drag the defendant, who was still holding on, along the road. Miss Bickley said: “The defendant jumped in and the driver stopped in Friar Gate and asked him to get out. “The defendant pulled the glass out, asking to be taken home, the


glass was completely broken. The driver got out of the taxi and the defendant started to punch the victim to the right side of the head. “The victim was trying to pin the defendant to a wall but it did not work and the defendant shouted ‘I am going to kill you P***’. Members of the public came over to assist and the police arrived.” Harris pleaded guilty to racially- aggravated assault, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and criminal damage. As part of the suspended sentence, magistrates ordered him to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and to go on a 120-day electronically- monitored alcohol abstinence programme.


COMMUNITY ORDER FOR DRUNK MIDDLESBROUGH DAD WHO SMASHED UP CABBIE’S VEHICLE


A boozed-up dad left a cabbie fearing for his life after smashing up his cab in a drunken rage. David McGee insulted the driver and vandalised his cab after a night of boozing in Newton Aycliffe, Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard. Prosecutor Chris Tame said the incident took place in the early hours of October 29, 2021, after Mcgee was picked up at a hotel “heavily intoxicated and slumped himself in the back of the taxi.” He said: “The defendant said this is a f***ing £500 suit I’m wearing. I earn £25 a f***ing hour who do they think they are in there? “The victim told the defendant there was only three miles to go at


PHTM MARCH 2023


which point he said you’re tak-ing the f***ing


p***


a***hole.” McGee, 32, from Middlesbrough, then tore


you the


Covid-19 screen down and climbed into the front passenger seat, shouting “put your f***ing foot down now” before grabbing the rearview mirror and dashcam and smashing it off the windscreen repeatedly. McGee shouted at the cabbie to stop the vehicle, forced the handbrake on and got out. Fearing for his life the cabbie drove and saw multiple cracks to his windscreen. The driver said: “I’ve been a taxi


driver for 30 years and have never experienced anyone so violent, aggressive or intimidating. I was fearful he was going to seriously assault me.” McGee pleaded guilty to criminal damage and was also sentenced for failing to provide a specimen for analysis, driving without insurance


and possession of


cocaine following incidents which took place in November last year. McGee - who has two convictions for six offences was given an 18-month community order of 18 rehabilitation days, 150 hours’ unpaid work and alcohol monitoring. He was also banned from driving for three years and made to pay costs of £1,855.


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