Woman pulled Telford taxi's handbrake THREE times sending car into a spin

Rebecca Louisa Spragg was told her actions could have had "disastrous consequences" as Telford Magistrates Court heard the final pull of the handbrake caused the car to completely spin and end up in the middle of the road facing the wrong way.

She also yanked a Bluetooth headset from Rubinder Bal Singh's ear while he was driving and then pulled his taxi licence card off the windscreen before ripping it into several pieces.

Spragg, 25, of Wildwood in Woodside, Telford, admitted endangering road users by interfering with a motor vehicle and criminal damage when she appeared at court yesterday.

Mr Mike Phillips, prosecuting, said police were on patrol in the early hours of January 7 this year when they came across a silver Toyota Avensis facing the wrong way in the middle of the road in Port Way, Madeley.

"The driver flagged down police officers and told them the defendant had refused to pay the fare," the prosecutor said.

"He said she had grabbed him by the ear and damaged his bluetooth headset, and had also grabbed hold of his taxi licence from windscreen and snapped it several times.

"The officers were told by Mr Singh that on three occasions the defendant had pulled the handbrake, causing him to lose control of the car.

"The third time was when officers chanced upon the taxi, facing the wrong way."

Miss Jenni Hancocks, for Spragg, said her client had been in Telford drinking with her sister and a friend.

"On the way home they got a taxi together, but it soon became apparent they didn't have any cash with them," she told the court.

"When they got to the house the two of them said they were going in to get some cash, and Miss Spragg stayed in the car to reassure the driver they would not be running off without paying.

"After a couple of minutes the taxi driver told Miss Spragg that he was going to drive her to the police station for non-payment of the fare. She fully accepts causing the damage and pulling the handbrake, and said it was out of frustration. She is fully remorseful for her actions and wants to apologise to the court and the taxi driver."

Spragg was sentenced to a community order for 12 months to include a two-month curfew banning her from leaving the house between 8pm and 8am. She must also undergo alcohol treatment programmes and was ordered to pay a total of £260 in compensation and court costs.

Mr Arnold England, chairman of the bench, told her: "This could have had disastrous consequences."