
A racist passenger who throttled a taxi driver with a belt while the vehicle was in motion has avoided an immediate prison sentence.
Gary Bohanna, 51, launched the unprovoked attack on driver Emmanuel Okinlola after being picked up from a Kirkdale pub on the afternoon of 15 December last year. On Friday 2 October, Bohanna was handed a 12-month suspended sentence at Liverpool Crown Court.
The court heard Bohanna hurled vile racist abuse before moving behind the driver's seat, removing his belt, and pulling it tightly around Mr Okinlola's neck for around three minutes.
Despite fighting for breath and struggling to stay conscious, the driver managed to safely pull over in Anfield, fight off his attacker, and flag down police. When confronted with audio of the assault, Bohanna confessed to officers: "You've got me now."
Bohanna, who has 12 previous convictions, admitted intentional strangulation and racially aggravated threatening behaviour. The court heard he suffers from PTSD and alcohol dependency.
Sentencing him to a two-year suspended sentence with rehabilitation, alcohol treatment, and a restraining order, Recorder Ciaran Rankin told him: "You behaved disgracefully to a man going about his lawful, necessary business... Simply locking you up is not going to benefit anyone." Bohanna responded: "I agree."

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