A violent drunken teenager viciously attacked a police dog with a shovel before swinging it towards the dog handler's head, causing a nasty cut on his arm.
HullLive reports that the troublemaker Keane Pyzer had earlier refused to pay a taxi driver and he threatened the cabbie with the garden spade before damaging his car.
Pyzer, 18, admitted assaulting the police officer, causing actual bodily harm, and causing unnecessary cruelty to a police dog.
He also admitted threatening the cabbie with an offensive weapon, using threatening words or behaviour, causing criminal damage and making off without paying a taxi fare on April 5.
John Bottomley, prosecuting, said that, just before midnight, Pyzer got into a taxi with a woman. Both of them were carrying opened bottles of alcohol and they were "under the influence".
They arrived in Amberley Close, Hull, the woman got out and Pyzer disappeared into a house and locked the door.
The taxi driver knocked on the door because he had not been paid for the £17.20 fare.
He walked back to his taxi where he found Pyzer in front of him, holding a glass. Pyzer swung it at the taxi driver but the man managed to block it.
The taxi driver overpowered Pyzer, who returned to the house. "He came back out with a garden shovel, which he used to cause damage to the wing mirror," said Mr Bottomley.
Other damage was caused to the taxi.
"The taxi driver remained at the scene and called the police," said Mr Bottomley. Police went to the area and tried to get into the house before calling for back-up.
Armed police arrived and forced entry into the house. A dog handler entered the house with his dog and saw Pyzer at the top of the stairs, shouting and being abusive and still armed with the shovel. "He threatened to kill the police dog, having seen it," said Mr Bottomley.
Pyzer was asked to be compliant and warned about what would happen if he was not. The police dog was sent up the stairs.
Pyzer hit the police dog with the shovel, causing it to be pushed up against a wall. The police officer tried to "take down" Pyzer but the teenager raised the shovel above his head and tried to swing it towards the policeman's head.
The officer managed to put his hands up but he suffered an unpleasant one-inch cut on his arm and he lost consciousness because of the loss of blood.
Pyzer was eventually arrested.
Pyzer had convictions for 14 previous offences, including two of assaulting an emergency worker and others of possessing an offensive weapon, affray and threatening behaviour, all from last year.
He was in breach of a youth rehabilitation order made for offences including affray and possessing cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply.
Judge John Thackray KC told Pyzer that the offences happened shortly after the Youth Court gave him a "golden opportunity" to change his ways.
"You have a dreadful record of previous convictions," said Judge Thackray.
"Courts have given you numerous chances with youth rehabilitation orders and yet you have gone on to commit these serious offences.
"All of your victims were serving the community.
"The taxi driver, who you refused to pay, who you threatened with a garden spade and a glass, was playing a valuable role in our community and, to a degree, was vulnerable.
"The police officer was, again, serving the community. The animal that you struck with a spade was, again, there to protect and serve the public.
"All of your victims deserve and will receive the protection of the courts.
"You began by threatening and attempting to attack the taxi driver and, when he understandably called the police, you then continued with your violence.
"This was a prolonged and violent incident and, no doubt, your victims were significantly affected by your conduct."
Pyzer was sent to a young offenders' institution for a total of two years and 11 months.
The Low Emission Zone has not led to a fall in the number of taxis in Glasgow according to the transport minister.
According to the Glasgow Times, Fiona Hyslop said the fact there are fewer black taxis had more to do with a fall in demand.
The minister was asked by Annie Wells, Glasgow Conservative MSP about a fall in the number of cabs in the city. She said it was down to the LEZ enforcement, putting non-compliant taxis off the road as costs are prohibitive.
Hyslop confirmed the reduction from 1,390 taxis in May last year to 1,347 in January this year.
“However,” she said: “That reduction can be attributed to declining public demand for taxis rather than being a direct result of the low-emission zone, because Glasgow City Council offered its taxi fleet a 12-month exemption, from June 2023 to June 2024, from LEZ penalty charges.”
She added: “Glasgow City Council has announced that it will offer a further extension to the exemption for some taxis beyond June 2024, if taxi operators can demonstrate a commitment to retrofit vehicles or purchase compliant replacement vehicles.”
Wells said hundreds of taxis are still non-compliant and risk going out of business when the exemption ends next month.
She asked: “For the sake of Glasgow’s black taxi drivers, will she back the extension of the exemption for those taxis—not the 76 that are already exempt?”
Hyslop said there is an extension available if owners can provide proof they are making efforts to comply.
She said: “If the member was listening, she would have heard that that is exactly what Glasgow City Council is doing. It is offering a further exemption, should there be a demonstration that retrofitting is planned.”
The minister added the LEZ retrofit fund is open for applications and provides up to £10,000 towards the cost of retrofitting a taxi.
Paul Sweeney, Glasgow Labour MSP said the grant was not enough and asked for it to be reviewed, saying it can cost between £60,000 and £100,000.
Sweeney said: “The £10,000 grant is simply not sufficient, particularly when a lot of the affected taxi drivers are approaching retirement age or are in their 50s and cannot take out that huge amount of finance.”
The minister replied: “On the finances for individuals, I am sure that engagement with Glasgow City Council will help to scope out requirements.”
Meanwhile, Bob Doris, SNP MSP for Maryhill and Springburn asked if the LEZ was having an impact on the quality of air.
Hyslop said: “Because it takes many years for fleets to adapt to LEZ entry standards, the improvement is spread over a long period ahead of LEZ enforcement, rather than happening overnight, when enforcement commences.”
She said there has been improvement in Hope Street with lower nitrogen dioxide readings.
Yob Graeme McLardy jumped on the bonnet of a taxi in scenes akin to a visit to a safari park.
StokeonTrentLive reports that the 42-year-old was high on monkey dust when he climbed on the Toyota Corolla in Hartshill.
North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard that he then deliberately stamped and scratched the car during the terrifying incident.
Now McLardy has been ordered to pay £750 compensation to the cabbie.
Prosecutor Emma Thompson said the incident unfolded in the early hours of April 13. She added: "He stamped on the bonnet causing scratches and marks."
The cabbie told police he came to a stop after he saw the defendant who was shouting something at him. He had never seen McLardy before.
McLardy admitted to officers he was under the influence of monkey dust at the time and was paranoid due to rumours he was a police informant.
McLardy, from Silverdale, pleaded guilty to criminal damage.
The court heard he was made the subject of a community order two days after this incident.
Simon Leech, mitigating, said it was impulsive behaviour 'more usually associated with a visit to Longleat Safari Park'.
Mr Leech said: "He was affected by the consumption of the drug which had been taken. He had earlier in the day gone to hospital because he was exhibiting behaviour which was contrary to his own welfare and interests.
"This incident occurred in the Hartshill area following his discharge from hospital.
"Compensation to the taxi driver is entirely right and proper."
Magistrates ordered McLardy to pay £750 compensation. There was no order for costs or a surcharge.
Source: https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/yob-monkey-dust-like-ape-9272055
A driver operating in Buckinghamshire has lost his private hire licence after he was caught using a mobile phone while driving.
The Bucks Herald reports that Azhar Iqbal, from High Wycombe, had his licence revoked after he failed to notify the council of the offence.
In April, Iqbal was dealt a further blow after he was ordered to pay £5,500 to the authority after an unsuccessful appeal against his ban.
He was stopped by Thames Valley Police officers on the A355 in August 2022. Officers saw Iqbal picking up his phone and talking into the device.
Iqbal did not tell the council about the offence, which breaches the conditions of his private hire licence.
He informed the council in April 2023, and was banned from working as a PH driver four months later.
After this Iqbal appealed the criminal offence, but magistrates upheld the police’s charge.
During the hearing, police officers were interviewed and bodycam footage from the original incident was shared in court.
Iqbal was issued with six points on his licence and ordered to pay a fine and court costs totalling £774.
He also made another court appeal challenging the ban handed out by the council.
At a hearing at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court on 26 April, a district judge upheld the council’s ban.
Iqbal was ordered to pay Buckinghamshire Council’s costs in the case of £5,500.
Councillor Mark Winn said: “Buckinghamshire Council recognises the serious risk presented by mobile phone use while driving.
"It is a significant distraction and substantially increases the risk of the driver crashing – putting passengers, pedestrians, and other road users at risk of serious harm.
“The council expects its licensed drivers to maintain professional standards, comply with the law and protect public safety.
"Licensed drivers who are found driving while using a phone by hand can expect to have their licence revoked in line with our policy.”
A Herefordshire MP has called for greater protections for people who use assistance dogs.
BBC News reports that Sir Bill Wiggin, Conservative MP for North Herefordshire, wants to see better services for those with assistance dogs and for disability equality training for taxi drivers.
He presented a bill to the Commons that also proposes to prohibit the parking of motor vehicles on pavements and footpaths.
Sir Bill said the legislation would "encourage and support people who use dogs, or perhaps want to use a dog".
He added that it would be for those who "are afraid of being made to walk home in the rain, barred from using a taxi or restaurant and forced off the pavement and into the traffic by pavement parking".
When presenting The Assistance Dogs and Pavement Parking Bill to the Commons, Sir Bill noted that 81% of assistance dog owners have had access to taxis refused.
The MP also said that between July 2021 and July 2022, 74% of those with assistance dogs were turned away from food and drink outlets, 53% from shops, and 35% from hotels and B&Bs.
The Tory MP added that a 2019 survey found that 95% of people with sight loss said pavement parking had forced them to walk in the road and one in five have been injured because of pavement parking.
He said: "Imagine trying to go somewhere strange, where a mishap could mean cracking your head on the curb, or worse, being hit by a truck.
"No shop, no restaurant, no supermarket should be turning away someone with an assistance dog.
"No taxi driver should be worried about dog allergies when they see a blind person, because they must and will know how to look after them, because they have been trained to deal with these customers."
Taxi drivers shared concerns at the cost of buying new cars as Huntingdonshire District Council sets new minimum emission standards
In the early hours of Sunday, May 21, 2023, Farid Cheheb was driving his taxi when he struck 44-year-old Shane Scannell on South Street, Epsom.
A private hire driver is more than £200 out of pocket after refusing to let an assistance dogs ride in his cab.
A General Motors autonomous car company has settled a lawsuit for millions with a woman who was hit by one of its self-driving taxis and dragged along a San Francisco street last year.
Ibraheem Khan, 27, pounced on Abdelella Yousif in Glasgow’s St George’s Cross on November 13, 2022.
Edinburgh taxi drivers will no longer be charged by the council to use The Royal Mile on their annual outing.
The mother of a boy chased by a cabbie after being in collision with his PHV on a bicycle has told how her son required surgery for a broken arm.
A taxi firm fed up with the number of roadworks in a town centre has sent a formal complaint to the Government - branding the county council 'totally and utterly incompetent'.
Warrington BC has launched two surveys – one for the public, and one for cabbies - both drivers licensed by Warrington BC, and drivers who are licensed by other local authorities.
A taxi driver who completed deliveries for the NHS during the height of the Covid pandemic has been jailed for his role in a major heroin and cocaine ring.