Man kicked off at taxi driver and smashed his window

A Glasgow man kicked off at his taxi driver and smashed his car window.

Darren Gray approached a taxi at 2.55pm on August 19, 2022, on Paisley Road West.

He asked to be taken to the Southside and then started shouting and swearing.

He told the driver: “Get out and go back home, I will spit on you, black b*****d”.

The 31-year-old walked away and other people came to the taxi driver and sat in the car.

Gray, of Cessnock, continued to make remarks about the driver, who started to drive away.

He then struck the window of the vehicle, causing it to smash and glass to fall towards the passengers.

The driver stopped the car and asked the passengers to get out. Police were called.

Gray was traced, arrested, cautioned and charged. The damage he caused was £580.

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He appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court last week, after pleading guilty to acting aggressively, uttering derogatory and racially aggravated comments and punching the window.

Gray also admitted to a charge of acting aggressively towards a former partner and threatening her.

Sheriff Vincent Lunny said: "These are quite appalling offences, he could easily go to jail."

Gray's lawyer replied: "He understands that. But there are alternatives to custody available.

"The report details his upbringing and the problems he had in his life. He is very centred on being employed and being able to work.

"He would engage with unpaid work. He is suitable for the Caledonia Project."

Sheriff Lunny noted that the report said he was not willing to engage with that programme, which addresses domestic abuse.

He said: "It’s not his first domestic offence.

"This is an appalling course of conduct. If you do not adhere to this, you will find yourself back here."

His lawyer replied: "The causal relationship with the complainer ended and he has no intention to resume it."

Gray was sentenced to two years of supervision with two requirements.

The first is a conduct requirement to engage with addiction services.

The second is a restriction of movement requirement for 163 days, which will keep him at his home address between 7pm and 7am every day.

He also has to complete 135 hours of unpaid work and was fined £750.

Sheriff Lunny told Gray: “You should be utterly ashamed of yourself.”