Telford man guilty of taxi driver phone theft and assault

But a jury yesterday cleared him of attempted robbery.

Steven Edwards was captured on CCTV at the Shell garage in Ketley, Telford, grabbing driver Hassan Mirza in a headlock and pinning him against a wall.

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard 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.

A dispute arose over the fare and Edwards, who was sitting in the back of the taxi behind Mr Mirza, started racially abusing him and pulling his hair.

The court heard the taxi driver initially drove back into Oakengates to try to find a police officer. But he was unsuccessful and drove on to the garage forecourt to ask the attendant to phone the police.

Edwards, of Clift Crescent, Wellington, had already admitted a charge of racially aggravated assault on Mr Mirza by beating. But he denied charges of attempted robbery. Sentencing is due in September.