Woman racially abused taxi driver
11:29am Wednesday 10th January 2007 in News By Staff Reporter
A DRUNKEN woman racially abused an Asian taxi driver as tried to drive her to Breightmet, a court was told.
Bolton magistrates heard that Tara Griffiths, who was carrying a bottle of cider, got into the front passenger seat of his car when he collected her from a house in Longfield Road, Morris Green. She refused to give Farook Ahmed a destination address and swore at and racially abused him as he drove.
At one point, she began kicking the dashboard and tried to grab hold of the steering wheel and gear lever.
Mr Ahmed eventually sought help from officers in a police car at Bolton Retail Park and she was arrested.
Griffiths, aged 25, of Lenham Gardens, Breightmet continued screaming and swearing, kicking the inside of a police van and punched a civilian detention officer in the back when put into a police cell. Griffiths, who has previous convictions, mainly for disorderly conduct, pleaded guilty to racially-aggravated harassment and assault.
Describing Griffiths' behaviour as despicable, Leigh Morgan, defending, said: "She has a very severe problem with alcohol and it seems to have spiralled out of control."
Griffiths was given a community order for 24 months with supervision and ordered to attend the women's Think First alcohol programme. She was also ordered to pay £43 costs.
