Taxi Driver Online

Man left taxi driver scarred for life

07 July 2010

A man who left a taxi driver scarred for life in a drink-fuelled attack was yesterday jailed for 32 months.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard Nathan Mackay, 22, had been out celebrating the birthday of his girlfriend Rebecca French and taxi driver Alan Gunn picked them up to take them home.

There had been an argument over the fare of £10.50 which Mackay thought was excessive and the attack had then taken place.

Sheriff Derrick McIntyre today told Mackay: "You assaulted this taxi driver to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement by repeatedly punching him on the head.

"I have seen the photographs which looked pretty horrific. The images suggest this was a sustained and ferocious attack."
Mackay, of Sinclair Place, Edinburgh, admitted carrying out the assault at Sinclair Place, Edinburgh, on 26 July last year.

Rebecca French, 21, of the same address, was also charged with carrying out the assault but her plea of not guilty was accepted by the Crown.

The court heard Mackay was deeply regretful and remorseful of his actions.

He had been drinking and arguing with his girlfriend and acted irrationally.

Source; http://news.scotsman.com/news/Man-left- ... 6405112.jp

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Brummie Cabbie.

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Two things occur here.

First, 32 months for this when grannies are mugged and the perp gets community service suggests that, despite the opinions of those in this trade, that the sentence will be held to be excessive by the defence team. I anticipate that this sentence will be appealed.

Second, this incident, resulting in severe injury to the taxi driver, came about because of a dispute over a fare.

Such disputes are encouraged by the law in Scotland. Whereas England has the Theft Act 1998 which make it a criminal offence to leave a taxi without paying, this is not the case in Scotland.

Scotland's common law of theft is interpretated by the Fiscal that if an individual has money on him then there is no intent not to pay, it become a civil matter.

This means that cabbies do not have the protection of the law, the cops will not respond to non-payment of fares.

This time a cabbie was severely injured, the next cabbie may well kill the punter because this case tells him that if he doesn't use force then he is going to be injured, possibly even killed.

This is MacAskill's making. He knows about this because I raised the matter with him last year. He knew about this potential scenario before this one happened. And remember, there is an outstanding case of the city cabs driver who allegedly took the law into his own hands.

Drivers should have protection from the law. Customers should know that the police will readily respond. They should know that their only redress in the event of the dispute over a fare is to make formal complaint through the licensing authority.

Without this procedure someone is going to get killed.

The question you've got to ask yourself is, will it be YOU!!!!!?

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Skull, "You are a police inspector, aren't you?"
Cab Inspector Smith, "Yes."
Skull, "So, are you going to tell Mr Taylor what his rights are?"
Smith, "And ... What rights?"

I recently had an incident where the guy refused to pay. With the help of a passing cabbie we restrained him until the police arrived. The passenger had left the cab but the police dealt with him and were more than helpful.

Perhaps a little civility on both sides made for the matter being resolved by them. I explained the facts to them and they responded by assisting me.

The trouble is not usually how the officer acts, that is normally fine.

The problem is actually getting some-one to attend quickly when you need them.

It would seem that a taxi driver having a problem (Even being attacked) is pretty far down the list when the radio staff allocate jobs to officers.

Got to agree with u on this one jim it's a joke

I have had problems with non payment as well police were very helpfull I have to say (not always the case) they even gave the idiot a lift to the bank to get my money but they did take a hour to get there and were well p1ssed at the idiot for wasting there time

I find most police are ok but there is always 1 idiot in evey job

You dont know much about law do you.



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