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The court confirmed a fine of 180 euros for each woman following an incident that began on Samil Avenue and ended in the maritime neighborhood of Bouzas.
Court Rejects Excuses and Affirms Passenger Solvency
The tribunal dismantled what it termed “crude excuses” offered by the passengers after completing the four-kilometer journey.
One passenger claimed she carried no money and that her companion would cover the cost. The second passenger argued that her credit card was stuck in the lining of her handbag. Court records show that the driver, an independent taxi operator, received no payment during the two years leading up to the penal proceedings. Magistrates noted that the passenger claiming she lacked funds showed “absolute nonchalance” and merely assumed her companion would eventually settle the debt.
Confrontation and Judicial Penalties
The dispute escalated at the destination when the driver attempted to collect the fare.
The court sentenced each woman to a 180-euro fine for a misdemeanor crime of fraud. Additionally, the tribunal ordered them to jointly indemnify the taxi driver for the 14 euros withheld from his professional earnings. The ruling reinforces that failing to pay after securing a service through deceptive pretenses constitutes criminal fraud, drawing a legal parallel to reserving a hotel room without the means to pay.
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