Subscribe to trusted local news
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
31
Jan
Harrogate man strangled taxi driver after believing he was being ripped off
A Harrogate man 'saw red' and assaulted a taxi driver after believing he was being ripped off, a court has heard.
Terry Benson, of Hall Lane, pleaded guilty to one offence of assault by beating during a hearing at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Thursday (January 29).
Prosecutor Sarah Tyrer told the court the named victim is a taxi driver at Mainline Taxis in Harrogate.
On the evening on January 9 this year, the victim was told he needed to pick someone up from the company’s office on Station Parade and drive them to Hall Lane in Bilton.
Benson, who was the passenger, got in the victim’s front passenger seat and the two men initially exchanged polite conversation.
“Everything was normal”, Ms Tyrer said, but after the victim took a wrong turn, Benson’s mood swiftly changed.
“[Victim] was aware he’d taken the wrong turn and knew it would take longer to get to Hall Lane”, she added.
Benson became angry and accused the victim of “ripping him off” by purposefully taking a longer route.
The victim reassured Benson and told him it was an honest mistake, but the defendant “kept getting angrier”.
Reading the victim’s statement to the court, Ms Tyrer said:
I said I was not sure what else to say and apologised.
I said I would no longer talk as the man was very angry and kept ranting.
Once the driver neared Hall Lane, the victim asked Benson to get out of the car but said he did not want payment for the journey.
The victim’s statement said he was worried about the lack of street lighting in the area and feared the defendant could “get a weapon from his home” if he dropped him outside.
The defendant then reached over and “grabbed tightly” at the victim’s neck.
Ms Tyrer said:
The victim tried to tell him to get off but he couldn’t shout as the defendant’s hand was on his throat.
The defendant’s other hand was on [victim’s] shoulder.
The victim thought he was going to pass out – or even die – in that moment, the court heard.
Benson, 57, also told the victim: “I will rip your head off.”
The victim began banging on the side of his car in the hopes of “raising the alarm”, after which Benson let go and left.
Ms Tyrer said the victim returned to the office and reported the assault to his manager, who saw how upset the victim was.
Reading the victim’s statement, she added:
I have never been violently attacked like this in my 30-to-40 years of taxi driving.
The victim has since had to take time off work and said he is “very angry” about the incident.
Defendant 'accidentally grabbed his neck'
Benson was arrested and interviewed by police, when admitted the assault.
The incident was caught on CCTV inside the cab. Benson told officers he couldn’t recall threatening the victim but conceded it was him on the CCTV footage.
Ms Tyrer said:
He claimed the driver was trying to rip him off and the driver had become defensive and argued when the defendant told him how to do his job.
He then said the driver went off route a second time. The defendant said the driver started arguing... the defendant felt he was ripping him off.
Benson claimed the victim called him “white trash”, which is when he “saw red”.
The court heard the defendant intended to grab the victim’s collar “to scare him”, but “accidentally grabbed his neck”.
“He told police he did not mean to hurt him or cut off his breathing”, Ms Tyrer added.
‘An emotional state and alcohol are a lethal combination’
Martin Townend, defending, told the court Benson disputes threatening the victim but accepts the assault and is remorseful for his actions.
“He apologises to the victim”, he said.
The court heard Benson’s father died shortly before the offence occurred.
Both builders by trade, the father-and-son worked together for many years.
Mr Townend said Benson’s father had a minor operation for an illness, but he contracted sepsis and died within just six days.
The defendant was at home on the day of the offence, “feeling depressed”, when his friend invited him for drinks in Harrogate.
After around four pints, Benson decided to call it a night and headed to Mainline Taxis to get a lift home.
A Bilton resident, Benson became concerned when the victim drove towards Odeon Cinema on East Parade.
Mr Townend said the defendant pointed this out to the driver, but claimed he proceeded to make a further two wrong turns.
After the third wrong turn, the defendant “saw red”.
“An emotional state and alcohol are a lethal combination”, Mr Townend told the magistrates.
Benson accepts he grabbed the victim’s throat, but Mr Townend said he “acted out of character”.
He added:
Mr Benson has not touched alcohol since the incident.
He made a mistake due to his mental health at the time and alcohol.
‘Defendant denies having a short fuse’
The case was temporarily stood down for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
Andrew Watson, a probation officer, said Benson had spent “much of Christmas struggling emotionally” due to his father’s death.
However, he told the court the defendant accepts his behaviour was “unacceptable” regardless of whether the route home was wrong or not.
Mr Watson said Benson denies having any alcohol issues or “usually having a short fuse”.
Benson was handed a 12-month community order, during which he must complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay £300 in compensation to the victim, a £114 surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs.
0