Taxi Driver Online

Rugby player in court over Bath taxi attack

A "gentle giant" professional rugby player headbutted a taxi marshal in Bath before punching him nine times following a row over his cab fare, a court heard. London Irish prop Richard Skuse, who once played for Bristol, fell out with a taxi driver then headbutted the marshal on the nose before raining blows at his head and body.

The 18st 2lb 28-year-old, of Feltham, Middlesex, had been on a night out in Bristol when he left to help retrieve his brother's girlfriend's handbag from a taxi in Bath. However Skuse lost his temper with taxi staff and left victim Colin Terry with a cut to the bridge of his nose, a swollen lip, grazes and painful cuts to his hands.

The player was quickly arrested and later pleaded guilty to a single charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Skuse, who has no previous convictions - and has never been yellow carded on the pitch - was ordered to pay Mr Terry £300 compensation, pay £722 prosecution costs and carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in the community when he was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court.

London Irish announced last week that Skuse would be leaving the club at the end of the season. The club said it wished him well for the future and that he had had an "unlucky series of injuries," but its statement made no mention of today's court case.

Paul Cook, prosecuting, told how Skuse, described in court as a "classic gentle giant" turned violent after drinking on the evening of April 13 last year. He said trouble started when Skuse, his brother and his brother's girlfriend took a taxi from Bristol to Bath and arrived at the taxi rank in High Street.

"There was a falling out with the taxi driver over the fare and them being allowed to get out of the taxi," said Mr Cook. He said taxi marshal Mr Terry, became aware of the altercation and was sworn at when he tried to get involved.

The court heard how the group then walked off but were followed by Mr Terry and other marshals who were sworn at again and told to stop following the trio. Mr Cook said Skuse then turned around and squared up to Mr Terry.

"He swung his head back and headbutted Mr Terry, connecting with the bridge of his nose, and punched him eight times around his head and upper body. Terry fell and grabbed Skuse's legs and was punched again," said Mr Cook. He said police arrived quickly at the scene and arrested the defendant.

Ian Dixey, defending, said Skuse had been out with his brother in Bristol when his brother's girlfriend had arrived and said her handbag had been kept by the taxi driver who transported her from Bath. He said the group travelled to Bath to retrieve the bag but a confrontation arose with taxi rank marshals, who Skuse told police had sworn at them.

Mr Dixey said his client, who was born in Bristol and had been a professional rugby player since leaving school when he was under contract to a club in the city, had never so much as received a yellow card. "He comes across as the classic gentle giant," he said.

Sentencing Skuse, Recorder Mr Giles Harrap said: "The assault was an extremely serious one because it was committed at night on someone trying to protect taxi drivers. That's what they are employed to do.

"I have taken into account that you have reached the age of 28 without committing any offence at all or being issued a card to indicate you were not behaving properly on the playing field."

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IDFIMH

would the punishment have been the same if it had been a police officer.These marshals are doing a job that should be done by police officers i hope the marshal has made a full recovery.