Cabbie took yob to police station
Wed Apr 21, 2010
A Peterborough cab driver has told how he feared for his life when a drunken yob threatened to kill him in a late night row over a £6 fare.
But the brave taxi driver kept his cool, and refusing to unlock the doors, drove straight to a police station where the thug was arrested.
Cabbie Adnan Latif (20) said he feared for his life when Gary Willerton (27) of Sheepwalk, Paston, smashed the rear passenger window of his taxi and then threatened to kill him.
However, rather than let violent Willerton out of the cab, Mr Latif calmly drove to Thorpe Wood Police Station where Willerton was arrested.
Willerton denied causing criminal damage and using threatening words and behaviour during the incident in November last year.
But on Monday he was jailed for six months at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court after being found guilty at a trial last month.
Afterwards Mr Latif, of Berkeley Road, Westwood, Peterborough said: “I remember the night well. He jumped in my taxi with another man, but when I got to his house he said he was not going to pay the £5.80 fare.
“He then smashed the rear window with his elbow, and said he would smash the rest of the windows and kill me if I did not let him out. He was with a friend, and after he smashed the window I knew he was serious about what he was threatening to do. I knew I had the safety glass between me and him, so I drove to Thorpe Wood where he was arrested.
“I am pleased that he got six months. It should make him think about what he has done.”
Defending, Richard Brown said: “Willerton does have a bad record, but most of his offending has been committed while under the influence of drink.
“Since this offence he has not been drinking to curb his offending.”
The court was told Willerton had been convicted of assault, affray and grievous bodily harm in the past.
Sentencing, chair magistrate Michael Flanagan told Willerton: “You subjected your victim to a considerable degree of distress.
He added: “It is our duty to send a message to the community that people who commit this type of offence will receive a custodial sentence.”
Taxi association supports sentence
The jailing of Gary Willerton has been welcomed by the National Taxi Association.
The association looks after the well being of blackcab drivers, and a spokesman said violence against cabbies was an increasing issue.
He said: “This is part of an ongoing and increasing problem of violence against taxi drivers, who are just doing their job to help people.
“We are getting reports from across the country every week about violence against drivers.
“Taxi drivers are in a vulnerable situation, and people who attack drivers or make their lives and jobs difficult deserve everything they get.
“This sentence will send a message that this behaviour will not be tolerated.”
Source; http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news ... n_1_619575
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