3:41pm Monday 4th August 2008
By Court reporter
A taxi driver who called a motorist born with congenital birth defects “a spastic” during a road rage incident has been fined £415.
James McCann, from Noel Road, Barnes, was involved in the incident in April last year.
He attended court last August but failed to return on bail in October.
The incident occurred at the traffic lights by the junction of Roehampton Lane and Upper Richmond Road when the 32-year-old threatened the one-armed victim.
On August 23 last year, also at South Western Magistrates’ Court, McCann pleaded not guilty to the charge threatening behaviour but was found guilty in his absence at his trial on October 8.
The father-of-one said he had written to court three days earlier on October 5 to request a postponement but received no reply so subsequently did not attend.
For the motoring offence and breaking his bail conditions, McCann was fined £415, consisting of a £100 fine for threatening behaviour, £15 victim surcharge, £150 court costs, £100 compensation and £50 for failure to meet bail requirements.
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