THIS WEEK IN PARLIAMENT

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BIRMINGHAM

Four teenagers are set to appear in court over a stone-throwing attack on a taxi which left an elderly woman with a fractured skull.

The victim, aged in her 70s, was travelling in the cab with her husband on Bellevue Road in Edgbaston when the stone smashed through the window and struck her head.

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BOLTON

A MAN who was among a group of three friends who punched a taxi driver and stole his car, has been detained under the Mental Health Act.

Michael Chiappinelli, aged 26, and two friends ordered a Metro taxi on September 9.

They asked the taxi driver, Imran Sarwar, to take them to Morrison’s, in Bury Road, Bolton.

But on the way the group ordered the taxi driver to stop and he pulled over in a lay-by.

Prosecuting, Lyndsay Thomas said: “The front seat passenger put him in a headlock, punched him to the side and back of his head and demanded he give over money and his phone. Fortunately the taxi driver was able to get out of the man’s grip and he ran from his taxi.

“He was then followed by the three males, but they couldn’t catch him so they went back to the taxi, got in it and proceeded to ride off.”

The group drove down Garstang Avenue and were spotted by a Mrs Owens and her partner Mr Noon, who were driving with their five children. The taxi, in which Chiappinelli was a passenger, was then seen by Mr Noon to hit a parked Audi, bounce off it and hit Mr Noon’s car on the driver’s side and he suffered neck pain.

In a witness statement read to the court he said: “The children screamed and were hysterical.

“I was initially upset, worried and panicked for my family, then sympathetic because it was an accident, but then I felt blind rage because they were nothing more than idiots who found it funny.”

Chiappinelli, of Darwen Road, in Bromley Cross, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and aggravated vehicle taking on the basis that he did not take £500 from the taxi driver and did not drive the vehicle. The court heard from Dr Jonathan Hellewell, a lead consultant psychiatrist, that Chiappinelli was suffering from schizophrenia and would benefit from in-patient treatment at a hospital rather than a prison.

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NORTHERN IRELAND

LEGISLATION requiring taxis to have a meter and printer installed from last month is causing concern among some taxi drivers in Fermanagh.
All Class A and Class B taxis must now use meters and printers following the changes announced by Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard.
Last week Sinn Fein MLA Sean Lynch hosted a meeting at Fermanagh House in Enniskillen between officials from the Department of Infrastructure and local taxi drivers.
“I was pleased to be able to bring together local taxi drivers and operators and the Department of Infrastructure this week to a meeting in Fermanagh House. Several taxi operators have contacted me recently regarding the changes to legislation and requirements which affect them and, indeed, all those who use taxis.
 “There was also great input from local taxi drivers who had many questions regarding the recent changes and positive suggestions as to how to tackle issues that have been arising,” said Mr. Lynch.
Minister Hazzard has set up a Taxi Advisory Forum made up of stakeholders to ensure that the taxi industry “is a fit, safe and modern service”, according to the Fermanagh-south Tyrone MLA. “We were advised that the forum would benefit from increased representation with drivers from rural areas like ours. I would encourage some of our local drivers to get involved with that. I am heartened to see local people becoming involved in the issues which affect them,” he said.

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