Court hears there was a row about a route home
A Wimbledon businessman has been found guilty of assaulting a taxi driver after an argument about the route home from Heathrow Airport.
Ealing Magistrates heard that Simon Rubel Lo Gatto, aged 44, who owns a luxury office furniture company, left taxi driver Nakalingam Koneswaran with a black eye.
The court heard that he was taking Mr Koneswaran's minicab home to Wimbledon Village on November 30 last year when he changed his mind during the journey and asked to be taken to a restaurant in Little Chelsea.
On the way there was an argument over which lane should have been used for the A4, and Lo Gatto was said to have punched Mr Koneswaran in the left eye.
Lo Gatto, denied punching the driver, but was convicted after a trial. He was sentence to a 12 month community order, including 80 hours of community service. He must also pay
Mr Koneswaran £100 compensation as well as a £60 victim surcharge and £620 court costs.
The court was told that Lo Gatto has lodged notice of appeal against his conviction.
July 1, 2016