Drunken thug escapes jail sentence after punching cabbie in the face

A drunken thug who attacked a cab driver has escaped a jail sentence.

29 year old Matthew Edward Allen of Woodbine Road, Blackburn, assaulted the cabbie after the driver refused to take him home because he had no money.

Blackburn Magistrates Court heard how Allen had told cab driver Muhammad Malik that his mother would pay for his cab fare.

However when Mr Malik spoke to Allen's mother she told the cab driver that she would not pay him.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, explained to the court that Allen was drunk when Mr Malik picked him up in his cab at around 12.50am, the driver had asked for payment up front due to the defendant's condition and was subsequently told that his mother would pay.

When Allen's mother said that she wouldn't pay, Allen, who was at that point sitting in the front of the cab, then punched Mr Malik in the face.

Catherine Fell, defending, stated that her client had no previous convictions and had been drinking all day.

The Lancashire Telegraph reported that Allen pleaded guilty to assaulting Muhammad Malik. He was fined £100 and ordered to pay £50 compensation £85 costs and £30 victim surcharge. 

Image Source: Geograph

Image Author: Mike Kirby