Dr. Gareth Carey, a business development manager with multiple PhDs in psychology and sociology, was on a night out in Liverpool City Centre when he hailed a taxi to drive him home to Birkenhead. However, when they arrived at his home, he failed to pay his bill using an app on his phone. An argument ensued, and the taxi driver decided to drive him to Merseyside Police headquarters.
As they arrived at the police station, Carey threatened the taxi driver, saying, “I’m going to do you in. I’ve got a knife in my bag, you b
*d.” He then exited the cab and kicked it, breaking the wing mirror and causing £745 worth of damage.Carey later made a full admission to police, telling them he had been drinking rum and was “on a scale of one to 10, he was a nine”. He admitted having a knife in his laptop bag, which had been given to him as a present after he completed a boating qualification.
Carey’s defense attorney, Janhaka Siri, said that Carey is mortified by his actions and is extremely remorseful and ashamed of what he did that evening. He said that Carey, in his drunken state, did not realize he had not paid the taxi driver what he was owed and did not know what was going on as he was driven to the police station.
Carey pleaded guilty to criminal damage and possession of a knife. Judge David Swinnerton said that Carey “should have known better” and that it was a “foolish and reckless way to behave.” He sentenced Carey to an 18-month community order, 10 rehabilitation days, and 100 hours of unpaid work. He also ordered him to pay £783 compensation to the taxi driver and £500 in court costs.
