Bainsford offender who hurled 'n' word at taxi driver told police cabbie had played the 'race card'

Andrew Perrow, 61, lost his temper with the driver because he thought he was taking the wrong route to get to the destination.

He was locked in the cab due to his bad behaviour at one stage as the driver pressed his emergency button to alert his firm he was under threat so they could contact the authorities.

Perrow appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having admitted engaging in a course of behaviour that was threatening and uttering offensive remarks in Callendar Road, Falkirk on August 5 last year.

Amy Sneddon, procurator fiscal depute, said: “The complainer, a taxi driver, picked up the accused, who said he was driving the wrong way. The driver said it was the quickest route and the accused swore at him.

"The driver tried to calm the accused down, saying he would take a different route if required. He stopped the vehicle and pressed his emergency button which alerted the taxi office.

"He then got out of his vehicle and locked the accused inside. The accused was then asked to get out of the taxi and he began shouting and swearing.”

Perrow hurled racist abuse at the driver, at one stage calling him the ‘n’ word.

When police talked to him he told them the driver had “called the racist card” into play and stated “they are getting away with this all the time”.

Defence solicitor John Mulholland said Perrow had a number of health issues which he had been suffering from for a number of years. He added Perrow “regretted his conduct” and that he suffered from short term memory loss at times – a condition which was not helped by his alcohol consumption.

Sheriff Christopher Shead said Perrow’s behaviour was “utterly unacceptable”, but noted there was a “complicated background” to the case.

He placed Perrow, 243 Carron Road, Bainsford on a structured deferred sentence for six months to September 5.