Taxi operator jailed after cowardly attack and lies
A taxi operator who assaulted a man in the toilets of a Scarborough pub has been jailed for 12 months.
Darren Lee Potter, 29, of Belle Vue Parade, followed the man into the toilets at the Nelson Inn in Victoria Road where he struck him with a number of punches to the head and body.
The victim, who was knocked to the floor, was saved from further harm when another pub-goer walked in, whereupon Potter ran, York Crown Court heard.
Potter was arrested, but pleaded his innocence, said prosecutor Philip Adams.
He was charged with assault and the case was set down for trial, but Potter bumped into the victim at a Scarborough establishment five months later and warned him not to give evidence in court.
Potter, who had been drinking, was thrown out.
Police were informed and Potter was charged with witness intimidation – which he also denied.
Potter was due to face trial in March, but faced with “incontrovertible” evidence including CCTV footage, then entered guilty pleas to both charges at the 11th hour.
The father-ofone appeared for sentence on Friday after pleading guilty to assaulting the victim on June 16 last year and also witness intimidation in the early hours of November 25, just before the case was listed for trial.
The court heard that Potter had some kind of dispute with the victim.
Potter’s solicitor advocate David Camidge said his client’s behaviour would cost him his job as a taxi operator.
But the court heard that Potter had shown a distinct lack of remorse for his actions and Mr Camidge conceded that his client “doesn’t like the (victim)”.
Judge Andrew Stubbs QC slammed Potter for the “cowardly” attack – and his flagrant denials in the teeth of the evidence.
Jailing Potter for 12 months, Mr Stubbs said the sentence was meant to deter others who “seek to intimidate witnesses ... and subvert justice”.
In passing down the sentence, Mr Stubbs said he had taken account of Potter’s past poor compliance with court orders.