A drunken woman racially abused a Perth taxi driver after she got stuck inside his cab.
Hayley Donaldson erupted with a series of bigoted slurs when she could not open her passenger-side door.
The 26-year-old later told police she had a “falling out with her taxi driver” when he refused to take her on a detour, because he was too busy.
She called the driver a “black c***” and other derogatory terms.
Donaldson, from Quarry Park, Stirling, appeared at Perth Sheriff Court on Monday and admitted “pursuing a racially aggravated course of conduct which amounted to harassment”.
She pled guilty to a second charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, likely to cause fear or alarm.
Sheriff Francis Gill told her: “You have indicated that you are deeply ashamed and so you should be.
“Racial abuse of anyone is completely unacceptable.”
Unemployed Donaldson was fined £450.
Night out
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson said taxi driver Ali Sikender picked up a fare of four people in the city’s George Street, just after 11pm on July 30.
“There were two males and two females, including the accused,” she said.
“It was a pre-booked taxi to take them to the Travelodge at Broxden.”
Ms Hodgson said: “During the journey, the taxi driver was asked to take a detour.
“He refused to do so and told the group he was too busy.
“The accused became agitated and demanded to be let out of the taxi and told the driver he would not be paid.”
The fiscal depute told the court: “The driver pulled over on York Street to let the group out.
“When the accused could not open her door easily, she said to the driver: ‘Let me out you black b*****d’.
“A member of the public walking her dog nearby heard the shouting.”
When Donaldson was told the leave the cab, she called the driver a “black mongo,” a “black b*****d” and a “black c***.”
The group walked away, and the driver reported the incident to police.
“Police later traced the accused,” said Ms Hodgson.
“She stated: ‘I had a falling out with my taxi driver’.”
Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said his client was “deeply ashamed”.
He said: “Earlier that day, she had attended at a family event.
“Her grandmother had passed away and she had perhaps drunk more than she should have.”
