A North Tyneside woman has been found guilty of a racially aggravated assault on a taxi driver following a dispute over a fare.
Paige Harvey, 30, was accused of spitting on the driver, pushing him, and using "horrible, racist language" after a night out in Newcastle.
The incident occurred on May 27, 2022, after Harvey and her mother got into a taxi.
According to the court, Harvey disputed the £40 fare, arguing it should be closer to £22. The disagreement quickly escalated, with Harvey becoming "aggressive," spitting on the driver, pushing his shoulder, and calling him a "f***ing Chinese."
When police arrived, they witnessed Harvey kicking the driver.
An officer told the court that she continued to be abusive and use racist slurs even after she was arrested.
The victim, who has been a taxi driver since 2008, testified: "It was awful, I was scared. When people talk like this, it's absolutely disgusting."
He added that while he has dealt with similar situations, he has "not [had] someone who has spat or been aggressive like that."
Harvey, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, claimed she had no recollection of using such language. However, magistrates found the evidence from the victim and the arresting officer to be "consistent and credible," while ruling Harvey's testimony was not.
Harvey, who has two previous convictions, was released on unconditional bail and will be sentenced at Newcastle Magistrates' Court on Friday, October 3.
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A disciplinary hearing was told that Thomas Ford stole the driver's car after the attack and crashed it into a fence.
The decision, which will take effect on Halloween, was made by the civic licensing committee following a split vote.
This comes after the ride-hailing company questioned why it was being represented by a competitor, Rainbow City Taxis.
The driver, who Dudley Council has not named for legal reasons, was observed "mucking out" his taxi on early Saturday and Sunday mornings in June.
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The number of taxi drivers has dropped by 47% in the last five years, a decline that local officials attribute to "licence shopping" by drivers seeking less stringent regulations.
Barry Haden, was taken to court and charged with breaching licensing rules after he used his personal car to transport an autistic student to college.
The council is now awaiting sign-off from the Department for Transport (DfT) on new byelaws, a process that has been put on hold during Parliament's summer recess.
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Xristos Tsorvas, one of the three directors of Cresta Cars, revealed that the company's new office on Chester Street was vandalised with smashed windows and white paint.
Szabolcs Pap, 39, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on August 15 for a series of offences that occurred on October 22, 2024, in Littlemore.
A council leader is appealing to the government to tighten operations by taxi and private hire drivers licensed outside of South Kesteven.
PC Holly Andrews has been working alongside Licensing Officers from Buckinghamshire Council carrying out compliance checks on taxis and PHVs in the town.
Mehtab Anwar, 30, a full-time Uber driver and one of the strike organisers, stated that "the recent fare prices are unsustainable, making it difficult for drivers to earn a fair income."