Australian jailed for assaulting cabbies
A drunk iron ore futures broker twice pushed a taxi driver who had asked for the fare to be paid and assaulted another three cabbies who later intervened.
All this took place in 45 minutes in the early hours of April 26 last year after Australian Benjamin Luke Taylor refused to pay the fare and walked some 2km along Bras Basah Road, Middle Road and Beach Road.
District Judge Luke Tan yesterday sentenced Taylor, 34, to six weeks' jail after he admitted to two counts of causing hurt to his taxi driver Steven Ong Han Boon, 54, and Lim Poh Heng,46, who had intervened along Beach Road.
Four other charges, including one under the Liquor Control Act, were considered in sentencing Taylor.
Taylor had arrived in Singapore two days before the incident on a business trip.
On April 26, he flagged down Mr Ong's taxi near 313@Somerset at about 4.50am, after consuming five pints of beer.
Mr Ong stopped along Bras Basah Road when Taylor did not say where he wanted to go despite being asked repeatedly.
The cabby asked for the fare but Taylor left without paying.
Mr Ong followed him for some distance. Three other cabbies who realised what was happening joined in, at different times.
As each one approached, Taylor threw punches at them. He was arrested at about 5.40am.
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