If taxiing is ever to get any safer, would-be cabbie attackers need to know that their crime will not pay. Clearly, the punishment must fit the crime. A number of taxi driver assault and robbery cases have come to court recently – and the sentences handed down have evoked a very mixed response from trade representatives.
Eight Years for Posh Cab Beater
A former security company boss convicted for the drunken beating of a cab worker has been sentenced to eight years in jail. Hitpreet Virdee, 33, drank two bottles of tequila at a wedding before stepping into a taxi. After a heated dispute over the taxi fare the cab driver decided to drive to his cab firm’s city headquarters to resolve the dispute.
Virdee responded by beating the driver over the head with a blunt weapon in a bloody attack that left his victim with two fractures of the skull. As a result he was hospitalised for almost a month. Virdee claimed he acted in self-defence after being attacked by a mob of cabbies and also blamed his drunken condition.
Just Desserts for Yorkshire Ripper
Local cabbies were relieved to hear that a 25-year West Yorkshire man was handed a jail term of two years and three months for his shameless attack on a working cabbie. Drunken Craig Watson set upon his cab driver shortly after being picked up from a bar in Hebden Bridge, near Halifax. Bradford Crown Court heard that Watson demanded the driver’s takings, insulted him for “not having a white face” and physically assaulted the cabbie, ripping open a cut in his face that required stitches. Watson pleaded guilty, expressed remorse and blamed his drunken state.
Police chiefs and taxi drivers have now formed a working group to combat the growing number of attacks on cabbies. Arshad Mahmood, treasurer of the Calderdale Private Hire Association, said: “We’re really delighted. It is very reassuring for us that these attacks are finally being treated more seriously and just hope this will deter anyone else who thinks taxi drivers are fair game.”
Lincoln Three Behind Bars
Lincoln Crown Court also saw jail sentences handed down to three men involved in the drunken beating of a local cabbie. Driver Simon Coulson’s efforts to serve the public ended in him being attacked and beaten by the three after he decided to turn back on his journey because of their behaviour, which included refusing to observe the no-smoking ban. One of the men also tried to strangle Mr. Coulson and his taxi suffered £2,500 worth of damage.
Police traced passenger Richard Harrison (21) through the details he provided when he booked the cab. He was arrested together with fellow attacker Benjamin Hunt (22) and co-defendant Stephen Biddles (22) was detained an hour later.
All three men said they were so drunk they had little or no memory of what happened. All three were sentenced to 14 months in jail.
The Sleaford Standard reports Judge John Machin as telling the guilty men: “This was most outrageous behaviour. Taxi drivers are in an inherently vulnerable position. They must be protected by the courts and the courts must make it absolutely clear that anybody who behaves as you did will go to prison.”