Is There Room On That Programme For The 999 Call Centre Operators?

Judge Douglas Field imposed a five-month jail term suspended for 18 months on Rodriguez and told him he would be under supervision for that time and must go on a "thinking skills" programme.

Benjamin Burgess was also jailed for five months, suspended for a year, with 130 hours of community service and nine months of supervision.

Ian Burgess was put on an 18-month community order and told to do 19 sessions of a thinking skills programme.

Strange. I've never been on such a course but even I know the way to settle a fare dispute with a cabbie isn't through violent group assault.

And they seemed quite capable of thinking to me:

At one point they stopped the attack and shook Mr Neant's hand saying 'we're all right' as another car passed, before resuming the assault when it had gone.

Still, there might be others who'd benefit from such a course:

During the journey the younger men started to argue with driver Ariel Neant, claiming he owed then £5 from the fare.

The driver was so concerned about their behaviour that he started to record what they were saying on his mobile phone.

He also tried to contact the police about their aggressive behaviour but they said they could not help as they thought he was just reporting a disagreement about money.

/golfclap