Albany-based jockey William White walks from jail after assaulting taxi driver

Albany-based jockey William Nicolas “Willie” White has been released on bail pending an appeal hearing after he was handed an immediate term of imprisonment for assaulting a 67-year-old taxi driver. White, 36, was sentenced to eight months behind bars last Friday for assaulting the driver about 2.30pm on December 27, the day after he rode Texan Blitz to victory at Albany’s Boxing Day races. White was granted bail in the Supreme Court today. Last week in the Albany Magistrate’s Court Prosecuting Sgt Alan Dean told the Court White struck the driver multiple times in the head, while the victim was still strapped into his seat in a Stirling Terrace carpark. The 67-year-old was left with lacerations from the attack, which was sparked by a fare dispute. White’s defence counsel said his client was too intoxicated to speak to police when he was arrested at the Stirling Club shortly after the assault. Sgt Dean told the court White and another passenger were picked up by the driver at Pinaster Road in Willyung at 2.10pm. As the jockey’s associate was being dropped off in Yakamia, the driver told White he would keep the meter running to avoid another flagfall charge for the second leg of the journey to Six Degrees. At that point, the fare was about $16. Before leaving Yakamia for the Stirling Terrace venue, the court was told White gave the driver $25, telling him to “keep the change”. When he was dropped off on Stirling Terrace, White became aggressive and threatening towards the driver after he asked the jockey to pay the rest of the fare. White accused the driver of stealing from him before the attack, even after the driver placed money into his hand in an attempt to defuse the situation. His defence counsel said White had tried to engage with victim mediation and received counselling for his “problematic” issues with alcohol. He said his client had been convicted of another assault in 2011. The day before White assaulted the man, he rode Texan Blitz to victory during the biggest day on the Albany Racing Club’s calendar — the Boxing Day races. He pleaded guilty in the Albany Magistrate’s Court on January 30 and was back in the saddle hours later. After news of his guilty plea, Racing and Wagering WA chief thoroughbred steward Brad Lewis said White had been stood down from race riding. The jockey has more than 180 career wins to his name, with his biggest victory coming in WA in 2014, when he rode Global Flirt to victory in the listed Tattersall’s Cup. White was made eligible for parole. Sgt Dean described assaults on taxi drivers as “simply unacceptable”, telling the court it was the second case to appear before Magistrate Raelene Johnston in recent weeks. In January, former Albany prison officer Corey Moysey Dawe was stood down from his job for choking a taxi driver from behind until he lost consciousness in an unprovoked attack while the taxi was travelling at 60km/h. Dawe was handed a conditional suspended eight-month prison sentence for assaulting and threatening to kill Albany City Cabs’ Paul Moir at 11pm on Melbourne Cup day last year.