Taxi passenger avoids jail over Telford racial assault
A man who racially abused, assaulted and stole the mobile phone of a Shropshire taxi driver has been spared an immediate prison term.
Steven Edwards attacked driver Hassan Mirza and threatened to stab him during a row over his fare, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told.
Mr Mirza, who worked as a driver for Shifnal-based Telford Taxis, had answered a call to pick up Edwards and another man from the Duke of York pub in Oakengates on March 8.
But a dispute arose and Edwards, who was sitting in the back of the taxi behind Mr Mirza, started racially abusing him and pulling his hair, said Laura Cully, prosecuting .
The 23-year-old also told Mr Mirza he was going to stab him if he did not drive faster.
Mr Mirza, fearing for his safety, pulled into the Shell garage in Ketley, Telford, where Edwards was caught on CCTV grabbing him in a headlock and pinning him against a wall.
The court heard the taxi driver drove back into Oakengates to try to find a police officer. When that failed, he drove back on to the garage forecourt to ask the attendant to phone the police.
Edwards, of Clift Crescent, Wellington, had admitted a charge of racially aggravated assault on Mr Mirza by beating. But he denied charges of attempted robbery and a jury found him guilty of theft after a trial.
Judge Peter Barrie sentenced Edwards to four months in jail for racially aggravated assault and one month in jail for the theft of the mobile phone. The sentence was suspended for two years.
Edwards was also ordered to pay £750 compensation to Mr Mirza and will have to carry out 150 hours unpaid work.
Mr Michael Sherwood-Smith, for Edwards, said: "He feels his anger was brought on by the drink and he has only drunk in moderation since. He is ashamed and disgusted with his actions."
