Alcoholic racially abused and assaulted Durham taxi driver
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An alcoholic who racially abused a taxi driver before raining down blows on his head has been locked up.
Jonathan Olley became frustrated and violent when the taxi driver was unable to locate where he wanted dropping off after picking him up in Durham city centre.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the 38-year-old was so drunk that the driver asked him to pay £20 upfront for his ride home.
Kathryn Wetherley, prosecuting, said Olley wanted to be taken to an address in West Cornforth but became increasingly agitated in the taxi before delivering a series of blows to the victim’s head.
She said: “The defendant grabbed the driver’s mobile phone, raised his hand towards his face and said ‘drive this car now before I kick your ****ing head off’.
“The defendant then grabbed him by the head saying ‘you’re winding me up now you little **** ****’ before hitting him twice across the face with his arm.”
The court heard how the victim suffered injuries to his face before he was struck for a third time by the defendant.
Miss Wetherley said the journey continued as Olley threatened ‘take me to the address or I will ****ing kill you and your family’ before he was dropped off by the taxi driver.
The court heard how the defendant was already serving a suspended sentence at the time of his latest offence.
Olley, of Grisedale Avenue, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm from December 8 last year.
Robin Turton, mitigating, said his client was acutely embarrassed about his behaviour when police showed him the CCTV footage captured from within the taxi.
“He is ashamed and shocked at this behaviour,” he said. “He has no recollection of it and it was a wakeup call when the footage was played to him in the police station.”
Mr Turton said Olley was struggling to address his alcoholism and he has finally recognised that he has to give up the drink.
Recorder Andrew Dallas sentenced the defendant to a total of 80 weeks in custody for his latest offence and breaching the terms of his suspended sentence order.
He said: “You lost your temper with him became abusive and threatening before repeatedly hitting him, knocking his glasses off while there was just the two of you in the taxi in a lonely area where he could find no help.
“He was forced by you to continue the journey until you got to where you wanted to be.”
