A banned driver who ran away from a taxi driver who drove him from Leeds to Lincolnshire has been locked up.

Martin Clayton flagged down the cab at Leeds Train Station, telling the driver he needed to get home because his daughter was in hospital.

Prosecutor Jim Clare told Lincoln magistrates that the driver had initially been reluctant to accept the journey and had asked Clayton to show some identification, which he presented.

 

Further into the trip, the cabbie grew even more suspicious and asked his passenger how he intended to pay for the trip.

Clayton (40), of Spring Gardens, Gainsborough, said his mum would cover it and even called a woman on his mobile phone to convince him.

Once in Lincolnshire, Clayton asked the driver to pull into a petrol station.

He was in the shop "for about 10 seconds" before bolting through the door - leaving the taxi driver stranded.

"The total fare at the time he ran off was around £110," said Mr Clare.

Just four days earlier, on May 17, Clayton had been pulled over by police as he drove a Suzuki car along Parnell Street in the town.

Mr Clare said Clayton had an 'appalling' record of driving convictions and had been disqualified five times - his current ban expiring in 2013.

Clayton (40), of Spring Gardens, Gainsborough, pleaded guilty to dishonestly making off without payment and driving while disqualified.

Andy Kerrigan, in mitigation, said his client had admitted dodging the taxi fare but insisted he had originally intended to pay up.

He decided to run when the driver said the final bill would be double what he expected.

Magistrates jailed him for a total of five months.
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