Aus: Man jailed for three months for abusing Indian cabbie

An Australian court has sentenced Paul John Brogden of Ballarat in Western Victoria to serve three months in jail after he threatened to kill an Indian taxi driver. 

Brogden, 48, pleaded guilty in the Ballarat Magistrates' Court to two counts of unlawful assault, one count of criminal damage to the value of Australian $1,520 and making threats to kill. The court heard that Brogden had called for a taxi at approximately 2 am on Friday morning, after an extended binge drinking session.

Brogden became verbally abusive toward Satheesh Thatipamula, 24, after he believed the driver had taken him the wrong way, according to The Australian daily. He allegedly said, "When you drop me off I will kill you, you mother f**king Indian, I will kill you, you f**king Indian b*****."

Brogden then followed Thatipamula into a store, before assaulting the driver and another man, who was pumping petrol there.

Brogden's lawyer, Philip Lynch, said his client had consumed so much alcohol that he could not remember the events of the night.

The magistrate also hit out at binge drinking, saying "alcohol fueled violence in our community is a real scourge".