Cleared of attack

A salesman has been cleared of attacking a taxi driver in a row over a fare.

Daryl Campbell, 23, of Alness Street, Hamilton, claimed he threw a punch in self-defence after cabbie James Mcknight attacked him.

Mr Mcknight, 63, who suffered a broken cheekbone, has since died, though his death was said to be unconnected to the incident.

Campbell was accused of punching and kicking him repeatedly on the head and body to his severe injury.

A jury returned a not proven verdict after trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court this week.

Campbell was also cleared of failing to pay the £9 taxi fare from Motherwell, but was found guilty of stealing the keys to the Skoda and was fined £300.

The incident happened in Park Road, Hamilton, near Campbell’s mum’s house, on February 24 last year.

Medical evidence agreed by both sides stated that Mr Mcknight suffered bruising and swelling to his face. There were small fractures to his cheekbone and he had double vision.

A statement he gave to the police before his death was read out in court.

Giving evidence, Campbell denied being the aggressor.

He said he’d had a few beers after a work leadership course and flagged down Mr Mcknight to take him home.

Campbell told his solicitor, Lyndsey Jefferson, that he needed money and they stopped at two banks en route, but his card wasn’t accepted at the cash machines.

When they arrived in Park Road, he intended to get the fare from his mum.

He had already left an ID card with the driver as a guarantee, but he claimed that Mr Mcknight then demanded his phone too.

Campbell told the court:“he jumped out of the taxi. I told him I wouldn’t leave my phone.

“He was angry and grabbed me.

“There was a scuffle and we fell to the ground.

“He was on top of me. I told him to get off. “He was heavier and bigger than me.” Asked if he had hit Mr Mcknight, Campbell replied:“it was one blow to the face.”

He said he grabbed the keys from the ignition and threw them away.

Campbell denied it had been his intention to avoid paying.

Asked why he had fled the scene and gone to his home in Alness Street, he said he had simply panicked.