Taxi Driver Online

The annual punch up of Hackney carriage and Private hire drivers at Cheltenham racecourse, had an added feature this year. The hackney drivers were handicapped by a partridge who was carrying a few pounds overweight and a one armed driver with an awesome right hook?

Private hire driver Luke Bennet was the first up against the formidable hackney duo, Mr Bennett said Mr Tustin the one armed cabbie punched him in the face with a fierce right but it came as a shock to Bennet when it was pointed out to him that Mr Tustin could not possibly punch him with his right fist as he does not have a right arm. hahahahahaha. Read on for the rest of the contest. lol

http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/di ... 894&module

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The verdict!
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Gloucestershire Echo

December 4, 2006 Monday

HEADLINE: Fighting cab driver keeps his licence

Former Hackney cab boss Dean Partridge has been told he can keep his taxi licence, despite drunkenly assaulting a private hire driver.

He and one-armed cabbie Nicholas Tustin were found guilty of assaulting a competitor at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court in August.

They were ordered to pay a total of £1,200 in costs and compensation to their victim, Luke Bennett.

But licensing officials agreed both men should keep their licences. They heard the pair had assaulted a private hire driver who they thought was touting for business outside Cheltenham racecourse in October last year.

Tustin was cleared of racially-aggravated harassment.

The assault followed a long-standing history of friction between private hire and Hackney Carriage drivers in Cheltenham, dating back to 2000. Officials from Cheltenham Borough Council's licensing committee were shown a video of the incident, which was filmed by Mr Bennett.

Conrad Gadd, defending Partridge, said: "He knows his behaviour was unacceptable. "Mr Partridge is 43 and in all these years he has never been arrested or taken aside by a police officer. "In the 20 years he has been a taxi driver he has never had a complaint about him by any passenger.

"The dispute arose as a result of him being upset at someone allegedly touting for business." The committee heard that Tustin has held a taxi licence for 16 years and has not been convicted of any criminal offences.

The committee agreed with officers that Partridge, chairman of the Hackney Carriage Drivers' Association, and Tustin were embarrassed about the offences and were unlikely to offend again.

Coun Diggory Seacome (C, Lansdown), committee chairman, told Partridge and Tustin: "We're not condoning this in any way and we take your responsibilities seriously. "We've decided to issue you with a formal written warning. If you come back before us you will be treated much more seriously."
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I wonder what Partridge's view would have been if a PH driver had lumped him?

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IDFIMH

The Cheltenham races start this week but will we see the annual hackney carriage v private hire drivers traditional punch up? Will Brian Rolands be in the Private hire drivers corner and will Trevor Jones with his trusty shotgun be batting for the National Taxi association?

Will there be another one armed bandit who delivers the knock out punch?

lol we shall have to wait and see.

Regards

JD

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