Posted on the 3rd June 2026 in PHTM News

HAMILTON PASSENGER JAILED FOR 18 MONTHS AFTER VIOLENT ATTACK ON TAXI DRIVER

A late-night taxi ride ended in violence when a rowdy passenger choked a Hamilton cabbie who simply asked to be paid for his services.

Michael McCabe, 43, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison following the July incident, which also involved him smashing a resident's window with a wheelie bin.

The trouble began around 1am when the 27-year-old taxi driver picked up McCabe and a woman, driving them to multiple locations.

After McCabe stepped out of the vehicle on Craigburn Street, he picked up a bin and hurled it through a house window. When the driver warned McCabe he would call the police and requested his fare, the passenger turned his aggression on the driver.

The court heard how McCabe tore down the plastic barrier inside the cab, reached into the front seat, and wrapped both hands tightly around the driver's neck. "The driver tried to wriggle free but McCabe put his arm over his neck and held him in place before letting go and making off," the prosecutor stated.

In his defence, a lawyer noted that McCabe was a recovering alcoholic who had relapsed, stating the incident was "fuelled by alcohol" and offering an apology to the driver "who was only doing his job."

The lawyer added that the smashed window stemmed from a separate dispute with the homeowner.

However, Sheriff John Hamilton KC rejected any excuses after reviewing a victim impact statement and examining McCabe's extensive criminal history.

Sending him to prison, the Sheriff told McCabe: "There is no plausible explanation for your conduct that night other than your violent nature."


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