Fleeing fare dodger ‘ruined’ taxi driver’s life by running him down with a car

A taxi driver was forced to hold onto the bonnet of a car before being dragged under the vehicle as a young man tried to avoid paying a fare, a court has been told.

Sathasivam Mathivathanan recovers from his injuries after he was run down by a youth trying to avoid paying a fare. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

A TAXI driver’s life has been “ruined” after he was mowed down by a young man who refused to pay a fare, the Supreme Court in Hobart has heard.

Bailey John Purdon, 20, was sentenced today after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm by dangerous driving.

Chief Justice Alan Blow said the incident occurred after taxi driver Sathasivam Mathivathanan took a customer from Cygnet to Geeveston to meet Purdon on September 13 last year.

On arrival the man got out of the cab and told Mr Mathivathanan neither he nor Purdon could afford the $79.10 fare before jumping into the passenger seat of Purdon’s nearby car.

Mr Mathivathanan approached the pair and asked them for some ID but neither obliged, with Purdon instead trying to flee.

“Mr Mathivathanan stood in front of Mr Purdon’s vehicle with both hands in the air and asked him to stop, but Mr Purdon drove at him,” Chief Justice Blow said.

“He landed on the bonnet and held onto the windscreen wipers while Mr Purdon drove about 50-60km/h, swerving from side to side.

“After travelling 500-600m, Mr Purdon braked heavily. Mr Mathivathanan fell from the front of the vehicle and was dragged a short distance with his legs under the vehicle before it stopped.”

The court heard Purdon remained at the scene and tried to contact the hospital the day after the incident to check on Mr Mathivathanan’s condition.

Mr Mathivathanan suffered two broken legs, a shoulder injury and back pain.

Chief Justice Blow said Mr Mathivathanan, a refugee from Sri Lanka, could no longer stand for long periods of time and was “too nervous” to return to taxi driving.

“On the day in question he feared for his life,” he said.

“This crime has ruined his life. He thought he and his family would be safe in Tasmania, but he’s now worried about how he will manage for the rest of his life financially, physically and psychologically.”

Chief Justice Blow took into consideration Purdon’s “major depressive disorder”, age, guilty plea and lack of prior convictions but said jail time was the only appropriate penalty.

He sentenced Purdon to two years’ imprisonment, backdated to December 6.

A year of the sentence was suspended on the condition Purdon not commit another offence punishable by imprisonment for 18 months. He will be eligible for parole after serving six months.