Taxi attack by soldier

A Lichfield soldier who went AWOL admitted assaulting a taxi driver and making off without paying the fare.

Shane Harrison, aged 19, of Valley Lane, had got a taxi with two friends to a party in Rowley Close, Hednesford, in the early hours of September 16.

When the taxi arrived at its destination, the three men ran off and did not pay the £16.85 taxi fare, Cannock magistrates heard.

But then Private Harrison, who serves with the Staffordshire Regiment, realised that he had left his phone in the cab and went back to get it. He offered the taxi driver, Ahmed Syed, £20 to cover the fare and asked for his phone back.Mr Syed took the money and then started to drive off without handing over, but Harrison began punching him in the face through the taxi's open window.

The taxi collided with another vehicle, and a neighbour who heard the commotion called the police.

Harrison pleaded guilty to a charge of common assault and making off without paying a fare.

He has recently served 28 days in army custody for going absent without leave.

Mr Stephen Sheldon, defending, said: "That was the first time he had been locked up, and his sergeant says he has reacted to it in a positive way and has even volunteered for extra duties over Christmas and New Year.

"He had gone AWOL because he was having some personal problems. He had broken up from his girlfriend, who was pregnant at the time." Harrison is stationed in Tidworth, Wiltshire, but is expecting to be sent back to Iraq with the rest of his regiment soon.

The magistrates said they take incidents of common assault on public servants very seriously and ordered him to pay £676.85 in fines, costs and compensation.

For the assault, Harrison will have to pay £400 and for making off without paying the fare he was fined £100.

In compensation for the injury to the taxi driver he will pay £100 and £16.85 for the fare. Harrison was also ordered to pay £60 costs.

By Kate Hughes