Taxi Driver Online

Blackpool Gazette

March 23, 2007

HEADLINE: £10 trip leads to £360 bill in court.

A SCAFFOLDER ended up paying £360 extra for a taxi journey which should have cost him just £10. Michael Wrigley landed in court and out of pocket after absconding without paying the cab fare at Blackpool.

Susan Starr, prosecuting, said taxi driver Keith Reynolds was flagged down by Wrigley on Lytham Road, South Shore. He asked to be taken to St Paul's Road, but when Wrigley arrived at his destination he walked into an address and slammed the front door. After waiting several minutes the cabbie knocked on the door but no one answered. Arrest Police arrived and had to force their way in to arrest Wrigley. Wrigley said he thought his girlfriend would have the money for the fare but when he arrived there he realised she did not have enough cash. He told magistrates: "It was stupid. I was in the wrong. I work in the scaffolding business all over the country and that's why I failed to answer bail." The 22-year-old, from Bolton, was fined £300 with £60 costs and ordered to pay the original £10.60 fare as compensation by Blackpool magistrates.
________________________________