UNJUST DESERTS


RACIST PASSENGER WHO CHOKED LIVERPOOL PH DRIVER WALKS FREE FROM COURT


A racist passenger who throttled a PH driver with a belt while the vehicle was in motion has avoided an immediate prison sentence. Gary Bohanna, 51, launched the unprovoked attack on driver Emmanuel Okinlola after being picked up from a Kirkdale pub on the afternoon of 15 December last year. On 2 October, Bohanna was handed a 12-month suspended sentence


at Liverpool Crown


Court. The court heard Bohanna hurled vile racist abuse before moving behind the driver’s seat, removing


his belt, and pulling it tightly around Mr Okinlola’s neck


for


around three minutes. Despite fight- ing for breath and struggling to stay conscious, the driver managed to safely pull over in Anfield, fight off his attacker, and flag down police. When confronted with audio of the assault, Bohanna confessed to officers: “You’ve got me now.”


Bohanna, who has 12 previous convictions, admitted intentional strangulation and racially aggravated threatening behaviour. The court heard he suffers from PTSD and alcohol dependency. Sentencing him to a two-year suspended sentence


with


rehabilitation, alcohol treatment, and a restraining order, Recorder Ciaran Rankin told him: “You behaved disgracefully to a man going about his lawful, necessary business... Simply locking you up is not going to benefit anyone.” Bohanna responded: “I agree.”


SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR BRUTAL ATTACK ON ONE-ARMED PH DRIVER IN SUNDERLAND


An Uber driver who uses a prosthetic arm lost his home, his marriage, and his livelihood after a violent attack by two passengers who mocked his disability. The cabbie feared for his life as he was punched, kicked, and stamped on in Sunderland on 14 July 2024. The violence erupted after the driver politely asked passengers Drew Davidson, 26, and an unidentified man to add a second drop-off location using their booking app. The men became aggressive, calling him a “useless taxi driver” and telling him to “just f****** move”. When the driver stepped out of his vehicle to escape the aggression, the men followed him outside. Davidson mocked the victim’s disability, asking: “What are you going to do with that?” before punching him to the head. The second man kicked the driver’s


PHTM NOVEMBER 2026


legs out from under him, causing him to collapse.


While the victim curled into a ball to protect himself, Davidson stamped on his left hand - his only functional arm - while the other attacker repeatedly kicked and stamped on his head against the pavement. The assault left the driver with facial injuries, a broken thumb, and a broken finger. In the 23 months following the assault, the victim lost £116,000 in earnings as he became unable to work nights. His PHV was repossessed, his marriage broke down, and he was left homeless and struggling with constant physical pain. In a victim impact statement, he


said: “It’s left me a mental and physical wreck. I attempted to take my life. No one could imagine the impact this attack has had on me.” At Newcastle Crown Court, Recorder Andrew Haslam KC told Davidson this was a “thoroughly despicable assault” on a driver providing a public service. The judge said he should be ashamed that the victim believed he was going to die because he did not think his attackers would stop. Davidson, from Sunderland, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, with his defence stating his actions were “completely out of character” while drinking during the Euro finals. He received a 27-month sentence, suspended for three years, and was ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work, pay £1,000 in compensation, and £550 in costs.


53


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82