Furious Falkirk motorist kicked taxi after driver allegedly spat on him

Robert Cupples (48) then retrieved a tyre wrench from his car and proceeded to threaten the taxi driver with it before kicking out and striking the wing mirror of his taxi.

Cupples appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday having pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon – a tyre wrench – and recklessly damaging property at Falkirk High Railway Station on May 22 last year.

The court heard the case had been continued three times in order to get some proof of the cost of the damage to the taxi – which at one point had been claimed to be as high as £1500.

Sean Iles, procurator fiscal depute, said Cupples and the taxi driver had an argument about the him being parked within the taxi rank – then Cupples took out a tyre wrench from his car.

The taxi driver then got into his vehicle to leave and the accused began to chase it, swinging the tyre wrench at the rear of the vehicle, which was going around a mini-roundabout and stopped.

Cupples then kicked out and hit the wing mirror of the vehicle, damaging it.

The court heard the taxi driver had allegedly spat in Cupples’ face and this is what prompted him to go and get the tyre wrench and act in the manner he did.

Defence solicitor Simon Hutchison said Cupples was at the train station dropping his daughter off.

He added: “This taxi driver had blocked him in. He came over to Mr Cupples, who rolled down the window, and the taxi driver spat in is face. He told police he had been spat on at the time and is still waiting to find out what’s happening with that.”

Sheriff Derek Livingston said: “Whether you were provoked or not, you shouldn’t have had a tyre wrench out anyway – even if you were spat on, you shouldn’t have kicked the wing mirror.”

He fined Cupples, 45 Woodburn Road, Falkirk, £420 to be paid at a rate of £15 per week.