A breast cancer survivor racially abused a taxi driver on her first drunken night out since receiving the life-changing diagnosis two years ago.
At Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (30 March), Gemma Cozens pleaded guilty to racially-aggravated harassment, alarm or distress and using threatening or abusive words or behaviour.
A taxi driver had been tasked with collecting the defendant and her sister from a Purton and taking them to an address in another town on 19 September last year.
Despite the fare being pre-arranged when the booking was made earlier, the 32-year-old disputed the price. Attempts were made to contact the taxi firm’s office, but they were left on hold.
Keith Ballinger, prosecuting, said the driver was forced to call the police after he asked the pair to leave his vehicle if they were unhappy with the cost of the journey.
Cozens and her sister refused to alight, becoming “obnoxious” and accusing the Turkish driver of wasting police time.
“They were asked to leave multiple times, but they either refused or ignored him”, Mr Ballinger added.
Concerned the incident was escalating, the driver started recording the abuse on his mobile phone. Cozens called him a “disgusting human being” before telling him he “shouldn’t be allowed to work in our country”.
The victim, in a statement, said he decided he didn’t want to work for the rest of the night because the incident had caused him distress and upset – and he was struggling to focus on driving.
“I couldn’t get rid of how I was feeling”, he said. “The whole situation was uncalled for.”
Continuing, he added: “It’s not my fault I wasn’t born in the UK. I don’t want to be treated differently just because I’m from Turkey.”
Gordon Hotson, defending, said his client, of John Ruskin Road, Tadpole Garden Village, Swindon, had been out drinking for the first time since the Covid pandemic started.
He told the court that mother-of-one Cozens, an interior designer, was diagnosed with breast cancer in the early stages of the pandemic – resulting in a double mastectomy.
Mr Hotson said she was “shocked” by the fare, and questioned it before setting off. During the dispute, the driver accepted he had threatened to hit them if they did not leave the vehicle.
“Unfortunately, matters became strained and fractus and it’s fair to say Miss Cozens accepts using the phrase stated. She did not mean to cause distress”, he said.
Adding: “In fact, Miss Cozens’ partner is mixed race.
“This incident was wholly out of character for her and one that she deeply regrets.”
The chief magistrate said her situation cannot excuse her behaviour that evening.
He said: “Being a taxi driver is not a fun job, it’s not an easy job and abuse is not something that should be accepted as part of the job.”
Cozens was told to pay compensation of £150 to the victim.
