[A] Penrith man has appeared before a judge at Carlisle Magistrates Court after being arrested on fraud charges.
Christopher Paul McKenzie, 30, was in the habit of ordering taxis from Penrith to take him to Keswick at a cost of £35 each time, the first journey took place on January 25, with two-others on 17 and 30 April.
On each occasion he made different excuses why he could not pay at the time of the journey, “his girlfriend at the time was in labour and he needed to be there, then his credit/bank card was maxed out” he said, on another occasion someone would meet the taxi in Keswick and pay the fare.
McKenzie pleaded guilty to three-fraud charges in that he dishonestly made false representation to pay a fare.
Sara Budniak told District Judge Gerald Chalk that her client had always intended to pay the fares, these offences may make look like a dishonest person, but he just never got around to paying. He has gone through some personal problems recently, and has made some bad decisions lately and these have “had a psychological impact on him”.
The judge was told that McKenzie told Ms Budniak that “being in court, his whole family will be horrified” he used to work as a stonemason in the Lake District but has lost that job recently.
The Judge placed him on a six-week electronically tagged curfew at his address of Old Forge Court, Albert Street Penrith, between 8pm and 6am, he has to pay prosecution costs of £85 and pay the taxi firms a total of £105 in compensation.
