Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Judge spares motorist in road rage at airport drop-off charge
A TEACHER who drove off with an official on his car after refusing to pay an airport drop-off fee avoided jail when a judge called the charge an “absolute disgrace”.
Graham Benbow, 55, lost his temper after being told he would have to pay and tried to drive through an open barrier.
But he did not stop when the worker attemped to block his way and drove for several hundred yards with the man on his car bonnet, a court heard.
Benbow, stopped by police just before the M65, faced up to two years’ jail after admitting dangerous driving but got six months, suspended for two years.
Judge Bernard Lever said he used Manchester airport’s drop-off himself but was warned of charges.
He told Benbow on Thursday: “Although it is no excuse, it is an absolute disgrace that people cannot deliver people to airports without paying an extraordinary amount.
“You’re fortunate I have faced these facilities recently.” On July 10, charges were introduced for dropoffs outside the terminal.
Manchester Minshull Street crown court heard Benbow, a psychology teacher at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, used the area on July 23.
Duncan Wilcock, prosecuting, said he reversed to look for signs then “raced” to an open barrier “to get away with not paying”.
He said: “The [official] placed himself against the barrier but the defendant didn’t stop. The complainant got on the bonnet and was in fear of his safety.”
Paul Hodgkinson, defending, said: “He had not seen the sign and was not aware of any charge.”