Taxi touting

[churchill123]

i was charged with taxi touting last week. I was walking towards my car when a man pretending to be lost approached me whilst i was waiting to cross the rd towwards my parked car. I asked him if he was ok as he looked lost and confused. He said he was lost as he was not from the area and that he was trying to get to his hotel in kings cross , london. I pointed out to him he was walking in the opposite direction and that he had to walk the othher way to get to kings cross stn. He seemed genuinely lost. As i was going past kings x stn on my way home and it was only 500 metres away i said to him il drop him off there where he can get his bearings again and find hiw way from there as he claimed he would. No mention of any reward or money was made by anyone. I was going to do it as a act of kindness. I like to think if i was in a large city like london and was lost being from another area someone would direct me and help me like i was willing to do. Anyway as we walked towards my car he pulledout a warrant card and identified himself to be a policeman. He arrested me, handcuffed me, and placed me at the back seat of my car. He then prepared a statemtn on the roadside and asked me to sign it, which i refused. We then went to police stn and interview was conducted. In interview we contradicted each other as to who approached who. Also i asked him to confirm if i had asked for any money or did he offer any money in return for a lift. He confirmed i NEVER. He also confirmed that he DID say he was lost and was looking to get to kings cross. I was still charged with taxi touting. After interview he changed in his behaviour towards me. Pre interview he was cocky, confident and friendly. Post interview hee was seething because i asked him if money was involved in our convos. Presumably no money or reward=no touting or very difficult to prove!! Will this get thrown out of court do you think? Feedback would be grateful....thanks

[wolf63]

innit - IF churchill is actually a taxi tout then he is guilty of a crime and should be punished.

However at this stage he is innocent of the crime. I accept what he says as I am a reasonable person and his story appears plausible.

However there is a major difference between a taxi tout and a person who preys on and sexually assaults women.

[hc4361]

We can only hope Innit is never called for jury service.

[hc4361]

innit, is English your first language?

I have come to the conclusion that you are personally involved with the OP in some way.

[hc4361]

You are confusing all those touts you see on the streets and have a grievance with from the OP who has asked for advice, not condemnation without trial.

[hc4361]

Innit, are you a Hackney cab driver?

[hc4361]

Eddie, you're banging your head against a brick wall mate.
I am convinced that innit has an agenda of some kind. Best left alone.