David Gilchrist, 51, of Vulcan Gardens, Eightlands, Dewsbury, was given a 12-month community order after he pleaded guilty to racially or religiously aggravated common assault on a taxi driver, Yorkshire Live reported on 15 October. The order includes 60 hours of unpaid work. He must pay £50 to the driver and other costs totalling £249. The driver is not named.
The case was listed for a first hearing at 9.30am on 14 October 2026, in courtroom 01 at Kirklees Magistrates' Court in Huddersfield. The case list gives the reference 13KD0509525. The offence on the list is racially or religiously aggravated common assault or beating, and the prosecutor is CPS-YH. The plea and the sentence come from the court report.
What the prosecutor said
Paul Farrell said Gilchrist booked a taxi from a pub in Dewsbury last September and began asking the driver about Islam and criticising the religion. The pub is not named. The driver took offence, pulled over and asked Gilchrist to get out. Mr Farrell said the driver took Gilchrist's phone and threatened to call the police. Gilchrist went to get the phone back, took hold of the driver by the scruff of the neck and punched him in the face.
In a police interview, Gilchrist made further criticisms of Islam. Magistrates were told he has five previous convictions for six offences. The report does not say what they were.
What he told the magistrates
Gilchrist was not represented. He said he wanted to apologise to the driver and had not intended to cause harm. He said his intent was learning and understanding, and that if you do not ask questions you do not learn. He said he had had many conversations with taxi drivers, and that this was the wrong place and the wrong time. He said he could not recall everything clearly because he was intoxicated, and that he had not intended to hit the driver. He said that when the driver took his phone he made a mark on the driver's face, and that he thought the driver was on high alert because he was drunk and asking questions about the driver's religion. He told the magistrates: "I'm sorry - I didn't realise it was a crime."
A probation officer told the court that Gilchrist had some insight and remorse, but had maintained that he did not grab or assault the driver.