Serial taxi bilker punched 3 cab drivers in the face during 3 separate incidents of nonpayment

A man who punched three taxi drivers in the face all on separate occasions of bilking fares has avoided jail.

The incidents in Bradford, all involved the defendant physically assaulting a taxi driver when asked to pay for the fare at the end of each journey.

In addition to the three incidents, the defendant was also verbally abusive towards police and spat on officers when they were called to deal with one of the bilking offences.

All three incidents of bilking took place at the back end of last year between October and December.

The defendant is believed to be suffering with alcohol issues and had previous convictions for battery, criminal damage, assaulting a police officer and threatening behaviour.

As first reported by Telegraph and Argus, the defendant was sentenced to eight months in a young offenders' institution, suspended for two years, with 280 hours of unpaid work.

He has also been ordered to attend a nine-month alcohol treatment programme and 35 rehabilitation activity days.

Bilking happens in multiple industries and is where a person runs off before they’ve paid for goods and/or services. This includes diners not paying their restaurant bill, motorists driving off without settling fuel pump bills and of course taxi passengers not paying for their fare.

Sadly some passengers have no intention of paying the taxi driver for his or her services when they enter the cab.

For more information on what to do if you have been a victim of bilking, read our The Laws Behind Bilking article recently published.