A KITCHEN porter’s night out proved very expensive when he took a taxi home from a friend’s house, York Magistrates’ Court heard.

Martin Butterworth, prosecuting, said Michael Andrew Bilsborough, 45, didn’t pay the £8.30 fare on arrival at his home in Navigation Road, off Walmgate, despite taxi driver Lee Nelson asking him for ten minutes.

So Mr Nelson drove him to Fulford Road police station where the passenger was so abusive, he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly. He also tampered with the taxi’s £750 meter en route and damaged it.

Mr Butterworth said although Mr Nelson later got the equipment working again he was out of pocket by the £8.30 fare from New Earswick to Navigation Road, plus the £20 fare he would have picked up had he not had to make the detour to the police station.

Bilsborough pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly and criminal damage. Magistrates told him: “It is going to prove a very expensive night out.”

They fined him £300, plus £28.30 compensation, plus a £20 statutory surcharge, plus £85 prosecution costs, totalling £433.30.

Peter Minnikin, defending, said Bilsborough earned about £1,000 a month. He had not deliberately tried to evade paying the fare, but had been so drunk, he just sat in the taxi mumbling and not responding to the driver’s requests.

The offences were out of character