Millionaire businessman cleared of threatening Cardiff driver with shotgun after £40 fare disputehttps://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wale ... r-14919909A jury took less than an hour to clear James Willmott of the allegation, which he deniedA businessman accused of threatening a taxi driver with a loaded shotgun in a row over a fare has been cleared.
A jury of eight men and four women took less than an hour to find James Willmott, 37, not guilty of threatening Hanifur Rehman with the 4ft-long black weapon.
The company director had denied a single charge of possession of a shotgun with intent to cause fear of violence.
Cardiff Crown Court heard taxi driver Hanifur Rehman thought he was “finished” and believed he was going to be shot dead by the boss of the accident claims company when he dropped him back at his country home following a night out in Cardiff city centre.
The driver had picked up Mr Willmott, director of All Claims Management, and his five friends from Cardiff to drive them back to the businessman’s countryside home around 2am on December 23 last year.
Mr Rehman claimed the defendant told him “I’ve got a gun inside the house” after a dispute over the agreed £40 fare and accused him of trespassing on his property.
Prosecutor Emma Harris said: “There was a disagreement about the cost of the journey.
“Willmott became a bit aggressive and Mr Rehman became worried about his behaviour and moved his taxi a little down the driveway.
“Willmott said: ‘Why are you coming inside my house?’. He then said: ‘I’ve got a gun inside my house’ and disappeared inside.”
Mr Rehman – a taxi driver for 12 years – said he thought the businessman was joking about the weapon but made a 999 call to police as a precaution.
But he told the court through an interpreter he thought he was “finished” when Mr Willmott returned carrying a long black hunting shotgun.
Mr Rehman said: “While I was still talking to the police he came with a gun in his hands.
“He raised his hand and said: ‘I told you. This is the gun’.
“He lifted the gun and loaded it three times and it made a clicking sound.
“I was thinking this is the end of me. I’m going to be finished today.”
But Nigel Power QC, defending Mr Willmott, said the incident came about because the taxi driver raised the fare to £60 after being made to detour to a McDonald’s drive-thru.
He said Mr Rehman heard the group talk about guns during the taxi ride and called police to make the false claim after they threatened to report him to the council.
Giving evidence in his own defence Mr Willmott said Mr Rehman concocted the story after bumping up the price of a £40 journey following the company director’s Christmas party with employees and family.
Mr Willmott admitted owning a 4ft-long black shotgun matching the description given by Mr Rehman along with three other shotguns and an air rifle.
But he said he never brought the gun outside his rural home to threaten the driver.
Mr Willmott said he tried to pay Mr Rehman an agreed £40 but the driver upped the fare to £60 after having to stop on the way.
Mr Willmott said: “I went to give him the money but he said: ‘No. It’s £60. I had to wait at McDonald’s and now I had to wait outside. It’s £60’.
“I told him to take the £40 and leave or I’d call the council.
“He mentioned something about the police but he then said: ‘It’s £40 mate’.
“I never took the gun outside. I never pointed the gun at him. The driver left. I went to bed.”
Mr Willmott, from Pendoylan, near Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, denied possession of a shotgun with intent to cause fear of violence and was acquitted of the charge.
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