Yob gang filmed drunken attack on taxi driver
12:36pm Friday 25th July 2008
 By Andy Woolfoot »
FIVE teenagers who filmed themselves beating a taxi driver unconcious in a drunken attack before stealing his vehicle and wrecking it were sentenced in court today.
Mark Bowditch, a taxi driver from Lechlade, was set upon by the gang outside a pub in Lechlade on October 20 after he refused to drive them home as his taxi was overloaded The youths, who are all from Swindon, pleaded guilty to the attack, which was filmed by one of the teenagers on her mobile phone.
"I genuinely feared for my life that night."
Taxi driver Mark Bowditch
Laura Taylor’s recording of the mayhem inside the cab before and after Mr Bowditch was attacked and left at the roadside was played to Judge William Hart at Gloucester Crown Court.
In the dock were five teenagers, aged 15 to 18, who admitted their roles in the incident.
Ben Blackmore, 18, of Norton Road, Swindon, who admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent on Mr Bowditch and aggravated taking of his taxi was sentenced to four and a half years detention and banned from driving for 3 years.
More on this story will be uploaded later today.
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