A woman who racially abused and assaulted a Carlisle taxi driver has been ordered to completed a night time curfew and pay compensation to his victim.
Amy Thompson, 32, got into a cab in the city at around 8.30pm on September 5 last year.
After a discussion between Thompson and the driver about payment of the fare, he refused to transport her.
Prosecutor Diane Jackson told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court today that Thompson refused to leave the vehicle.
Police were called and informed her it was the driver’s right to decline a fare.
Thompson was then racially abusive to the driver, making a comment which was recorded at the scene, before striking him on the top of his head.
Thompson, of Westwood, Morton, Carlisle, left her bank card inside the vehicle, and had previously provided an address to the driver. “This has resulted in her being identified and arrested for the offence,” said Mrs Jackson.
In a statement, the driver spoke about the impact of the incident on him and of pain in the aftermath.
“It makes me feel sick when people racially abuse me. It makes me feel bad,” stated the driver, who spoke of living and working in this country for 30 years.
“I feel I cannot fight back. The way people discriminate against me because of the way I look makes me feel embarrassed.”
Thompson admitted a charge of racially aggravated assault by beating. Thompson told magistrates she had planned to pay the fare once she reached her address, and had been allowed to do previously.
“It was a massive mistake. I’ve been out of trouble so long,” said Thompson, who had not been in court for 15 years. “I’m not a racist. It was literally a slip of the tongue, to be honest. I was very drunk. I had had a horrible day.”
Magistrates said the offence was made worse because it was racially aggravated.
As punishment, Thompson must complete a six-month electronically monitored night time curfew and pay £200 compensation to the taxi driver.
