Yob on ‘final warning’ for racist abuse of Hartlepool taxi drivers

Paul Keers, 51, swore at both cabbies and called them offensive names making reference to their skin colour when he approached the taxi rank in Avenue Road from the direction of a pub on May 13 last year.

He also hit and kicked one of the taxis during the ugly incident, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Keers, who has 96 previous convictions on his record, was rejected by the first driver in the queue after suffering previous racial abuse from him.

He made a racial slur when the second driver in the queue also refused to take him and Keers started banging on the bonnet before trying to get in the passenger door.

Richard Bennett, prosecuting, said that when Keers found it locked he began to kick out, shouting racial abuse and said “get out of here or I will smash your car up”.

When another driver on the rank got out of his vehicle to intervene Keers swore at him and used racist language and appeared to want to fight prompting him to call the police.

"Whilst waiting for the police the defendant continued to racially abuse the drivers,” added Mr Bennett.

Keers, who was on a community order at the time for a similar offence, later admitted two counts of racially aggravated harassment and possession of cannabis.

The driver whose taxi Keers kicked out at described feeling embarrassed and upset by the incident.

Robert Mochrie, defending, said in mitigation: “He accepts that his offending was unacceptable at the time and is remorseful for his behaviour o that day Your Honour.

"In sobriety Mr Keers would not have acted in the way he did.”The court heard that Keers, of Lime Crescent, Hartlepool, has a diagnosed mental health disorder but that medication appears to be working and he has kept out of trouble since.

He was given nine months suspended for 18 months, 20 rehabilitation activity days and a three-month tagged curfew.

Judge Stephen Ashurst said: "You are very much on your final warning so far as the court is concerned.”

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