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Woman cabbie jailed over false allegation
A Bridlington taxi driver has been jailed for four months after admitting making a false report of being robbed on a drive to Scarborough.
Jade Victoria Fowler, 24, persisted in her false allegation for several weeks, even talking to the Bridlington Free Press about the robbery story, with the result that a man was arrested and questioned.
York Crown Court heard on Tuesday that at the time the defendant's taxi business had been in dire financial trouble and that Fowler, who suffers from a form of attention seeking disorder, had acted naively and immaturely.
Joseph Spencer, prosecuting, told the court that on February 1, this year, Fowler, of New Burlington Road, was asked by a former schoolmate to run him from Bridlington to Scarborough.
The friend, Lee Robinson, paid some of the fare up front, promising to pay the rest on arrival, but then made off without paying.
The court heard that Mr Robinson, who had been cautioned for his actions, was initially arrested for robbery after Fowler made the false allegation that she had been attacked by two passengers and claiming to have suffered a hand injury.
Mr Spencer said that the police spent several hours investigating the robbery allegation and that it was only the suspicions of a detective which eventually led to the truth being revealed.
He added that Mr Robinson had been "scared" that he was going to be locked up for something he had not done.
The court heard that during Fowler's press interviews the Free Press reporter also became suspicious that something was not right and that Fowler was annoyed at not being chosen to take part in a pilot scheme to fit local taxis with CCTV.
Even when arrested and quizzed about her story Fowler maintained her allegations, saying to police officers "So I'm the one with broken bones being arrested", and only admitting her guilt on the day her trial was due to take place.
Fowler admitted a charge of perverting the course of public justice.
For Fowler, Andrew Wilson, mitigating, said his client had gone along with the story after her mother contacted the police and the Free Press newspaper on her behalf.
Adding that Fowler's business had been tens of thousands of pounds in debt, Mr Wilson said that his client had in the past made suicide attempts and, during the course of this prosecution, had made another attempt to end her own life .
Passing sentence, The Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, said that a miscarriage of justice could have happened if it had not been for the "nowse" of Detective Constable Adam Normanton in realising that something was not right with the story he was being told.
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Weather for Bridlington
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
