Man is jailed for attacking cabbie

AN Oldham yob has been jailed for hitting a cab driver with a belt when he could not pay his taxi fare home after a drunken night out.

Philip Shepherd (25) got into the taxi, driven by a former classmate, at 4am but told him that he did not have any money to pay the fare and would get money from his house.

When they arrived at the address, Shepherd knocked on several doors only to then disappear out of sight.

When the victim, Atif Iqbal, followed him and asked him to pay, Shepherd shouted racial abuse and began hitting him, Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, was told.

Both men fought with each other and ended up on the floor. Shepherd got up, took off his belt and started to hit Mr Iqbal with it.

He was left with large swelling to his left eye and severe back pain.

Shepherd claimed that he offered to pay him £4 but Mr Iqbal wanted him to pay the whole fare of £6.

He said that it was the victim who was going to assault him for not paying the fare. The victim was said to be vulnerable as he worked night shifts.

Shepherd, of Derby Street, has previous convictions for dishonesty and common assault following a domestic incident with his partner.

He was given a seven-month custodial sentence after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm and making off without payment on June 8 last year.

Mr Simon Nichol, defending, said: “He has lots of difficulties with drink which may be why he behaved the way he did. Drinking is something he has yet to get to grips with.

“He regrets his involvement, he knows the taxi driver from school and does not have a problem with him and has never made any racist comments before that night.”

Passing sentence, Judge Andrew Lowcock said: “You refusing to pay and hitting the taxi driver with a belt was a serious offence that a community order can not justify.

‘’Giving you a custodial sentence will send out a message that racist remarks and assault is not acceptable.”