Man offers to leave axe with cabbie in lieu of payment of fare

A court has heard how a man offered to leave an axe in a cab in lieu of payment for a fare.  

31 year old Matthew Goddard, of no fixed address was picked up in a cab but did not have the means to pay the cab fare.

He was taken to the Tesco car park in Belton, near Great Yarmouth where he claimed that he would get some cash from his cousin. 

Goddard was asked to leave some form of surety with the driver, so as to ensure that returned to pay the fare, however, Goddard then produced an axe from and stated that this is all he had  to leave the driver, before getting out of the cab and running off. Norwich Magistrates Court then heard that a few days later, police attended an address in Great Yarmouth to deal with another person, but arrested Goaddard after he attempted to leave the property via the back door. Upon arrest, Goddard lashed out and hot a police officer in the face and was subsequently tasered. Goddard, who is currently residing at Peterborough Prison, appeared in court via videolink, admitting possession of an axe in a public place on January 10. He also pleaded guilty to making off without payment and assaulting an emergency worker and a police officer, on January 15. IGoddard also admitted a total of six thefts from shops in January and February of this year. Goddard was jailed for 26 weeks as well as being ordered to pay a total of just over £100 to three of the stores he stole from as well as the taxi driver who he bilked. 

Image Source: Geograph

Image Author: Keith Evans