A father-of-five who carried out a violent attack on a taxi driver has been spared jail over concerns it would have a "harmful impact" on his kids. Jermaine Preston kicked his victim "like a football" in the assault in a row over the fare.
The 41-year-old punched, kicked and stamped on the taxi driver following a night out in Manchester city centre. Manchester Crown Court was told how Preston had booked a taxi from Mainline private hire with his partner and another woman at 6.30am on September 4 to take him home.
Preston, who was both drunk and under the influence of drugs, was repeatedly told he could not smoke. However the taxi driver did allow him to vape in his vehicle, said prosecutor Philip Hall.
