Omari Thomas, a 19-year-old from Rowley Regis, has been jailed following a violent and racially charged altercation with his Uber driver during a chaotic journey to McDonald’s. The incident unfolded as drug use reportedly occurred inside the vehicle.
According to Birmingham Magistrates' Court, Thomas and a female passenger were allegedly using substances in the back of the Uber. The male passenger sniffed a white powder while the female inhaled suspected laughing gas from a balloon. When the driver confronted them, telling them, “You can’t do that in my car,” Thomas became aggressive.
The court heard that Thomas punched the back of the driver’s seat multiple times. One punch passed through the seat, striking the driver’s head. The driver, alarmed by the behavior, attempted to turn the vehicle around to return to their original pick-up point in Rowley Regis instead of continuing toward McDonald’s in Cape Hill, Smethwick.
READ MORE: Andy Burnham Announces £1,100 Business Rates Cut to Support Pubs and Venues
READ MORE: Lego Thief Steals £5,000 Worth of Sets in Multiple Store Raids
During the dispute, Thomas directed racial abuse at the driver, calling him a “curry b*****d” and accusing him of kidnapping. The driver feared for his safety throughout the ordeal.
Thomas pled guilty to racially aggravated assault by beating and acknowledged that the offensive language he used was unacceptable. On July 16, 2024, magistrates sentenced him to three weeks in jail. This sentence will run consecutively with his existing seven-year sentence for a firearms offence.