Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Cab driver attacked by drunk passenger
A 72-YEAR-old taxi driver was sprayed in the face with an air freshener by a “very drunk” passenger — then chased into a bookies after he threw the yob out of his cab.
Mark McFarlane was too drunk to give the driver instructions about his destination after flagging down the taxi in Strathmartine Road.
However, after being asked to leave the cab, 26-year-old McFarlane refused and poured water from a bottle into the footwell of the car, Dundee Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Sue Ruta told the court the driver — William Smith — then got out of his cab and walked round to the passenger side, opened the front passenger door and pulled the accused out of the cab by his clothing.
Ms Ruta said that the accused then fell to the ground and Mr Smith got back into the driving seat of the vehicle, but before he could drive away, the accused opened the driver’s door. McFarlane took the keys out of the ignition of the car and then grabbed a can of air freshener and sprayed it into Mr Smith’s face.
Ms Ruta added: “Mr Smith got out of the car and the accused came at him again.
“Mr Smith moved away and the accused chased after him and sprayed him again.”
Ms Ruta said the complainer ran into a nearby Ladbrokes shop, pursued by the accused.
Staff there pressed the panic button as McFarlane was still trying to spray the complainer.
The accused left the shop and was later traced by police in a curry house, the fiscal added.
Solicitor Ross Bennett said McFarlane was really drunk and apologised to the court for his behaviour.
“The complainer was 72,” he said, adding: “He didn’t know that.”
McFarlane, of Bruce Road, admitted that on March 19, in Strathmartine Road, he assaulted William Smith by repeatedly spraying him in the face with an aerosol air freshener.
Sheriff Tom Hughes deferred sentence on McFarlane until April 18 for a social work criminal justice report and a restriction of liberty order assessment and granted him bail.