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It was
7.45am at the junction of Ladbroke Grove and
Cambridge Gardens – a hand goes out but I recognise the face as
someone who believes that fare payment is optional! So I move on.
I’m waiting by lights at the junction with Lancaster Road, the passenger door opens and I look behind. He’s sitting on the back seat! "Westbourne Grove," he says with a wry smile. There’s no discussion. I take him. He directs me to the Portobello Estate in Lonsdale Road. "Just wait here a minute," he says, "I’m picking up my son." Where have I heard that before! "I’ll need a deposit," says I. "I’m not giving you one," he replies, "you didn’t stop for me. I don’t trust you." "In that case, pay me the fare." He wrestles with the door handle, but my foot is hard down on the foot brake. "Take this... and this," he yells through the partition. The first ‘this’ are some coins thrown through the partition opening. The second one was destruction of the partition window by way of a size 10 boot, impacted with such force as to |
DaC driver Philip Benjamin (K20) on following a bilk through to the end... A fare result for Phil! |
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propel a 10 inch shard of glass
past my head, which then embedding itself in the windscreen! Casually he strolled off, apparently forgetting about his son and with me pursuing on foot at a safe distance. Emergency services connected me to the local police service, where a 3-way link was established with me giving a running commentary of his route through the back doubles. Within 5 minutes, blue lights and sirens appeared from all directions. After spending the rest of the morning in a cell at Paddington Green, he’s charged with criminal damage and released on bail. Astonishingly, he intends to challenge on the grounds that no |
crime was committed as he was
trying to escape false imprisonment! The Criminal Prosecution
Service disagreed! At the Westminster Magistrates Court preliminary hearing, he was advised his defence was weak and would only result in a full hearing with additional costs. He changes his plea to guilty, was fined £350 plus costs and ordered to pay £490 compensation for my damage and other losses. He paid up in full. When arrested, he was in possession of over £200 in cash. The fare? £4.80. It’s a funny old world at times! Philip Benjamin (K20) |
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