13.4.04
Sunday Life
**THE PISS-NI IN ACTION
She's taken me for a ride
Taxi driver driven round the bend by transsexual's sex slue
By Sinead McCavana
11 April 2004
A BELFAST taxi-driver told yesterday how his life was ruined when a transsexual accused him of indecent assault - outside a city-centre cop shop!
The bizarre allegations, which have now been withdrawn, were made by the passenger after she refused to pay her fare.
Mark Mayled, 42, thought he was doing the right thing by going to the police station.
But, two-and-a-half hours later, cops arrested HIM!
Said Mark: "I thought it was a joke."
But, sadly, five months later, the father-of-four is still trying to clear his name.
Mark has reported the case to the Police Ombudsman, and has resigned his position with a leading taxi company, after being sickened by the incident.
His nightmare began when he arrived to pick up a fare at from a city-centre bar, last November.
Mark told Sunday Life: "I saw this man, who was dressed as a woman, being helped out of the pub by the barmen.
"I thought 'Oh, God', but a fare's a fare."
Mark drove the transsexual to another pub, and waited while she went inside.
When she was also ejected from that bar, he agreed to take her to one final pub, and asked for his fare.
When she refused, Mark radioed the operator, who told him to go to the nearest police station.
Said Mark: "I drove up to Grosvenor Road police station, and parked outside the main gate. She was screaming 'You'll pay for this'.
"I opened the window to speak to the policeman at the gate.
"I said 'This person won't pay her fare'.
"He said 'You can't park here, mate' and, as he said that, she started ripping her tights and underwear."
When female police officers eventually took the passenger into the station, she was screaming, 'He raped me' and 'I'll get you for this'.
Mark said he was told police would caution her, and take a statement.
But, hours later, police arrested HIM and took him to Strandtown station.
Said Mark: "I was stripped to my underpants, and they took forensics from me.
"The interview just wasn't real.
"I was being accused of taking £50 off her, indecently assaulting her, bruising her, cutting her, burning her with a lighter - I don't even smoke!
"I said 'You're asking me questions I just can't answer, because they don't make any sense.'"
He was not released for nearly 10 hours.
A Police Ombudsman's spokesman confirmed yesterday that an investigation was ongoing.
Despite the transsexual retracting her statement last month, a PSNI spokeswoman told Sunday Life that the matter was being forwarded to the DPP.
Added Mark: "I'd like an apology from the police, and I'd like this transsexual off the streets - she could do this to any taxi-driver.
"I did everything by the book and look what happened.
"I've lost my faith in humankind."
**THE PISS-NI IN ACTION
She's taken me for a ride
Taxi driver driven round the bend by transsexual's sex slue
By Sinead McCavana
11 April 2004
A BELFAST taxi-driver told yesterday how his life was ruined when a transsexual accused him of indecent assault - outside a city-centre cop shop!
The bizarre allegations, which have now been withdrawn, were made by the passenger after she refused to pay her fare.
Mark Mayled, 42, thought he was doing the right thing by going to the police station.
But, two-and-a-half hours later, cops arrested HIM!
Said Mark: "I thought it was a joke."
But, sadly, five months later, the father-of-four is still trying to clear his name.
Mark has reported the case to the Police Ombudsman, and has resigned his position with a leading taxi company, after being sickened by the incident.
His nightmare began when he arrived to pick up a fare at from a city-centre bar, last November.
Mark told Sunday Life: "I saw this man, who was dressed as a woman, being helped out of the pub by the barmen.
"I thought 'Oh, God', but a fare's a fare."
Mark drove the transsexual to another pub, and waited while she went inside.
When she was also ejected from that bar, he agreed to take her to one final pub, and asked for his fare.
When she refused, Mark radioed the operator, who told him to go to the nearest police station.
Said Mark: "I drove up to Grosvenor Road police station, and parked outside the main gate. She was screaming 'You'll pay for this'.
"I opened the window to speak to the policeman at the gate.
"I said 'This person won't pay her fare'.
"He said 'You can't park here, mate' and, as he said that, she started ripping her tights and underwear."
When female police officers eventually took the passenger into the station, she was screaming, 'He raped me' and 'I'll get you for this'.
Mark said he was told police would caution her, and take a statement.
But, hours later, police arrested HIM and took him to Strandtown station.
Said Mark: "I was stripped to my underpants, and they took forensics from me.
"The interview just wasn't real.
"I was being accused of taking £50 off her, indecently assaulting her, bruising her, cutting her, burning her with a lighter - I don't even smoke!
"I said 'You're asking me questions I just can't answer, because they don't make any sense.'"
He was not released for nearly 10 hours.
A Police Ombudsman's spokesman confirmed yesterday that an investigation was ongoing.
Despite the transsexual retracting her statement last month, a PSNI spokeswoman told Sunday Life that the matter was being forwarded to the DPP.
Added Mark: "I'd like an apology from the police, and I'd like this transsexual off the streets - she could do this to any taxi-driver.
"I did everything by the book and look what happened.
"I've lost my faith in humankind."
