A DRUNKEN teenager who repeatedly abused a taxi driver in a pre-Christmas outburst was slammed as ‘rather common’ by a judge – who said her ‘revolting’ behaviour was ‘the sort you see on rather cheap TV programmes’.
Burnley Crown Court was told how Ainsley Wilkinson, 18, was one of four people in Ishan Butt’s cab just before midnight and was in the front passenger seat.
In the nightmare journey, Wilkinson, who was clutching a three-litre bottle of cider, repeatedly hit the radio, refused to pay Mr Butt, insulted him over and over again and broke his CCTV camera.
When they got to his taxi office, Mr Butt refused to take the group any further and Wilkinson then subjected him to the ‘ultimate indignity’ of pouring cider over him, emptying at least half a litre over his seats and windows.
The victim, 42, who works in the Colne area and who had asked the defendant to calm down several times during the ‘intimidating’ incident, was left shaken and scared and had thought he was going to be attacked.
Wilkinson had convictions for battery and theft as well as a caution for racially aggravated threatening behaviour.
The jobless defendant, of Cleveland Street, Colne, had admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour and damage, last December 23. Defending, Jacob Dyer said she was obviously very drunk and was ‘out to make somebody else feel bad’.
Sentencing, Recorder Anthony Cross, QC, imposed a two-year community order, with 12 months’ supervision and a six month 7pm to 7am curfew.
He said: “You... were acting in a way which can only be described as revolting. People like you don’t bother about the feelings of other people.”
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