Female Cancer Sufferer who Verbally Abused Taxi Driver is Sentenced
A woman with her Bull Terrier intimidated a taxi driver, Mohammed Khan, and his sister, attempted to assault them with the dog’s chain and unleashed a spate of racial abuse at them, a court heard.
Convicted knifewoman 39-year-old Shelley Anne Taylor, who is banned from having dogs, hurled abuse at the brother and sister and shouted, ‘Get back to where you belong’, as they tried to escape the vicious animal. They were finally rescued by a paramedic who saw the whole incident from near Burnley General Hospital.
Taylor was disqualified from having custody of a dog by Accrington magistrates, this was after a dog previously owned by her was allegedly poisoned and killed by her.
The defendant, who also has cancer, admitted to breach of a court order banning custody of a dog, being in charge of a dangerous dog, racially-aggravated harassment, alarm or distress and assault by beating.
Taylor, of Ferndale Street, Burnley, was handed a two-year community order, with supervision and a four-week, 9pm to 7am curfew and must pay a £50 fine, £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
The defendant admitted seeing the Khans were screaming but denied trying to attack them with the chain. Representing Taylor, David Leach, said she was being treated for cancer and stated, “She is hoping the disease has gone into remission.”
