A woman has been sentenced for a 'savage' attack on a taxi driver which caused him to fear for his life.
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Jacinta Kennett, 30, appeared via video link from custody at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Tuesday and accepted a sentence indication of imprisonment.
Magistrate Ron Saines said Kennett committed a 'sustained' and 'serious' attack on a taxi driver after he asked her to leave his car, recognising her from not paying her fare a week earlier.
Kennett and co-accused Matthew Peoples got in the taxi after ordering it to pick them up from Ballarat East.
The taxi driver said Kennett would have to pay her fare before the ride and she and the co-accused yelled and screamed at the taxi driver for about five minutes.
Kennett ripped the camera from the roof of the taxi, causing damage, and threw it out the window.
The co-accused allegedly placed the driver in a headlock and Kennett punched him to the head 15 to 20 times.
It is a serious example of public violence.
- Magistrate Ron Saines
Kennett grabbed the driver's mobile phone out of his hands and pulled on the rear view mirror while the co-accused exited the car and allegedly punched the driver to the head.
The co-accused allegedly walked away from the car before pulling out a knife and yelling 'I am going to kill you'.
The driver feared he was going to die so he tried to drive away with Kennett still in the car.
She grabbed the steering wheel and swerved the car on the road.
She kicked the windscreen twice, causing it to smash, before she opened a door and jumped out of the car while it was still moving.
The taxi driver sustained two loose bottom teeth, a split lip and had blood on his clothing and the taxi was damaged.
Mr Saines said the attack was more serious because it was two people acting together and the taxi driver was injured.
"This is a taxi driver who asked you to remove yourself from his car because last time you didn't pay a fare," he said.
"The result was you two putting him in a headlock, repeatedly punching him to the head, ripping out a camera, damaging a windscreen and causing him to very much fear for his safety.
"It is a serious example of public violence."
The court heard Kennett had been sentenced for criminal violence in the past.
Kennett was sentenced to five months imprisonment. She has already served 91 days of her sentence.
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