Racist passenger choked black taxi driver with belt after booking car from pub

Gary Bohanna said 'I don't trust black people' before chocking taxi driver Emmanuel Okinlola

By Edward Era Barbacena

A racist passenger throttled a taxi driver with his belt as the victim made desperate efforts to keep his vehicle on the road.

Gary Bohanna positioned himself behind the driver's seat then forcefully choked the driver with the item of clothing as the vehicle was in motion, having subjected him to a tirade of vile racist abuse. But he walked free from court today, Friday, in spite of his terrifying and unprovoked attack.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Emmanuel Okinlola went to collect the 51-year-old from the St Hilda pub on Walton Road in Kirkdale on the afternoon of December 15 last year. Bohanna, of Tavy Road in Everton, came out of the premises and asked him to wait as he was "still having a drink" inside.

Katy Appleton, prosecuting, described how he returned a few minutes later and said: "Why have they sent a black person to pick me up? I do not trust any black person."

Mr Okinlola challenged him over his behaviour but continued with the journey, with Bohanna wishing to be dropped in the Anfield Road area. But he continued his shocking language, saying "you need to go back to your country" and began listing African nations and swearing at him.

When told he was being recorded, the defendant became increasingly aggressive and began grabbing his arm. Mr Okinlola warned Bohanna that he could cause the car to crash, after which his assailant said "I'm going to strangle you" and moved to sit directly behind him before adding: "You think you are safe, you should be scared."

The complainant then glanced into his rear view mirror to see him taking off his belt. The drunk man repeated his threat to "strangle" the driver before reaching over his head and wrapping the accessory around his neck and pulling "extremely hard".

This continued for around three minutes and left Mr Okinlola "fighting for breath" and struggling to remain conscious while remaining in control of the vehicle. He was eventually able to pull over on Oakfield Road in Anfield following a near miss with a set of traffic lights, then successfully fought Bohanna off and sought the assistance of a nearby police car.

The violent customer fled but left his belt behind. Under interview following his subsequent arrest, he initially claimed Mr Okinlola had been "going the wrong way and locked him in the vehicle" and denied having racially abused him.

However, when officers then played him the audio clip of the incident, Bohanna confessed "you've got me now". He has a total of seven previous convictions for 12 offences.

Paul Becker, defending, told the court: "Clearly, Mr Bohanna needs help. It is terrible offending.

"He has post traumatic stress disorder and an alcohol dependency. If that can be addressed, Mr Bohanna will remain offence-free."

Bohanna admitted intentional strangulation and racially-aggravated threatening behaviour during an earlier hearing. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was handed a 12-month imprisonment suspended for two years.

Sentencing, Recorder Ciaran Rankin said: "You really should know better than to get involved in the type of activity you did. It seems quite clear to me that you are a man who needs some help.

"Simply locking you up is not going to benefit anyone. You behaved disgracefully to a man going about his lawful, necessary business - someone providing a public service to the city of Liverpool."

Bohanna replied "I agree" at this point. The judge continued: "He is entitled to be treated with respect and dignity - you did quite the opposite. You were racist in the farthest of terms. It must have been terrifying for him."

Bohanna was also told to serve a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 30 days and a six-month alcohol abstinence requirement. He was given a restraining order preventing him from contacting Mr Okinlola.