Passenger arrested and fined for bilking a taxi driver over three years ago is yet to pay £40 fare
A bilked taxi fare, unpaid after three and a half years, came back to bite the passenger as the court seeks payment. Ashleigh Holmes was arrested on a warrant and forced to spend a night in police cells following the £40 bilking back in 2015. Blackburn magistrates heard Holmes, now aged 22, and two other female passengers got a taxi from Manchester to Blackburn. A £20 deposit was paid to the driver, however on arrival at the destination the passengers went into a house and failed to answer the door to the driver. The female passengers also denied access into the house when police arrived and they eventually had to force entry. The prosecution, Catherine Allan, told the court the passengers had been given a police caution on the condition they attended a womens' centre for three sessions and paid the driver £40 compensation plus the earnings he lost on the night. Gareth Price who was defending the girls at court said his client had attended the centre but had not paid the money back to the bilked driver yet. Mr Price said: "She was aware of it and rang the court to clarify the situation and was told they had no record of her owing anything," "That all happened more than three years ago and I would like the opportunity to make representations to the Crown Prosecution Service as to whether it is in the public interest to proceed with this matter." The defendants representation said Ms Holmes was aware the £40 was payable and she would within 14 days. Holmes, 22, of Hillside Walk, Blackburn, was remanded on bail until January 15 so Mr Price can make representations.