Passenger who bit taxi driver’s face amid fare row handed jail term

A man who bit a taxi driver’s face as he drove him through Glenrothes has been jailed.

Thomas Mccabe, 32, was picked up at Styx snooker hall in the early hours of May 7 this year.

The driver was taking Mccabe to Mcdonald’s when he noticed his fare was intoxicated and asked him to pay in advance. Mccabe then started getting angry, demanded the driver stop and refused to pay the outstanding fare.

Procurator fiscal depute Douglas Thomson told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court: “The witness (taxi driver) informed him he would drive to the police station. The accused began striking the front windscreen of the vehicle.

“The driver was alarmed but before he could react the accused grabbed him and they struggled. After doing this he bit the witness to the face while (he was) still driving the vehicle.”

The fiscal depute said police were seen by the driver on Leslie Road and he made his way towards them, sounding the horn, then Mccabe was arrested.

Mccabe admitting assaulting the taxi driver by struggling with him and biting his face. He also admitted wilfully or recklessly destroying or damaging property belonging to another by kicking the windscreen.

Sheriff Elizabeth Mcfarlane jailed Mccabe for 14 months.