‪Blackburn Magistrates sentence man after racially abusing and attacking cabbie‬

A cab driver who was assaulted and racially abused by his passenger has seen his attacker sentenced.

31 year old James Wedderburn appeared at Blackburn Magistrates Court, where he pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault on Zaheer Ahmed.

The court heard that Wedderburn had been "in a bad place" when the incident occured, which was two days after an eight year relationship had finished. 

Mr Ahmed picked up Wedderburn in Edgar Street and was taking him home. During the journey Wedderburn kept asking the cabbie to turn the music up. Mr Ahmed explainedthat he couldn't because it might disturb people. 

Wedderburn then told the driver to stop a few hundred yards from Howard close, where the defendant then started shouting racist abuse at him, before grabbing the driver by his jacket and pulled him across the car. Wedderburns defence lawyer, Helen Farnsworth said that her client had numerous issues and had been diagnosed with ADHD when he was 13. Wedderburn, of Howard Close, Accrington, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault. He was handed down a community order for six months with a 15 days rehabilitation activity requirement, fined £50 as well as being ordered to pay £75 compensation, £85 costs and £85 victim surcharge.