Guernsey taxi driver’s licence at risk after year-long banhttps://guernseypress.com/news/2018/07/ ... -long-ban/A TAXI driver has been banned from driving for a year and put at risk his livelihood after dragging a drunken passenger with his vehicle across a petrol station forecourt, and then failing to stop to help him.
Glen Pontin had denied recklessly assaulting William Bracey and failing to stop after an accident, but was found guilty at a Magistrate’s Court trial.
As well as the driving ban, he will also have to complete 120 hours of community service.
In sentencing, Judge Graeme McKerrell said while the drunk passenger might have been a ‘taxi driver’s nightmare’, that was no reason for Pontin’s actions, which had put the victim in danger.
‘You may have acted out of character, but this was a clear and obvious risk you took,’ he said.
During the trial, the court heard how Pontin had picked up musical performer William Bracey in Town in the early hours of the morning.
The performer had been drinking heavily and threw up in the vehicle.
Pontin drove him to a cashpoint at Doyle Motors so he could withdraw money to pay £300 in compensation, but Mr Bracey did not have enough.
After an argument, Pontin drove off, dragging Mr Bracey alongside the vehicle before leaving him injured in the dark forecourt.
The victim suffered grazes and a dislocated shoulder.
Pontin had argued that he thought Mr Bracey had stepped away from the vehicle, but during the trial the judge noted that the defendant had closed the passenger door only after the victim had become disengaged from the car.
Again in sentencing, Judge McKerrell noted that he did not believe Pontin’s argument that he had been scared of the passenger, noting that Pontin had been talking with the man and had put his seatbelt on before driving off.
‘This was not a case of you fleeing to protect yourself,’ Judge McKerrell said. ‘You were annoyed.’
He also noted that Pontin had callously contacted the victim’s employer the next day to try and get the money he felt he was owed.
Defence advocate Sarah Brehaut said the assault should be treated similar to a single-blow offence.
‘It was a reckless assault.
‘It was not intentional. My client showed his remorse. He never wanted to hurt Mr Bracey and he was very upset that this has occurred.’
She said there had been an outpouring of support for the taxi driver, with islanders relying on him to drive their families and staff.
She added that if a disqualification was more than a month, there was a risk her client would lose his taxi licence.
Pontin, 56, of Rushford, Les Abreuveurs Road, St Sampson’s, had previously pleaded guilty to a separate offence of ignoring a red light.
The court heard how a police car had pulled up behind Pontin’s taxi outside the the Herm Trident kiosk just before midnight. While the light was still red, Pontin had driven off.
In terms of running the red light, she said her client had mistaken the green pedestrian light for his indication to go. He had been aware of the police car behind him and had not intentionally ignored the signal.
n Pontin was sentenced to 120 hours community service for the reckless assault, which is to run concurrent to the 60-hour community service handed down for failing to stop.
He was banned from driving for 12 months for failing to stop. A one-month driving disqualification for the red light matter will also run concurrently.
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