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Hull woman threw ‘oven cleaner’ over cyclist in road rage attack

Group of cyclists felt driver had veered towards them

A woman who left a cyclist with chemical burns and physical scarring after throwing a corrosive substance over him in a road rage attack has been handed a 12-month jail sentence suspended for two years and must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

The Hull Daily Mail reports that Deborah Tasker initially denied wrongdoing and tried to claim she had thrown “Diet Coke” over her victim, but later changed her plea and admitted to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The incident occurred on April 14, 2017, when Tasker and her husband were driving over Hull’s North Bridge with their two children in the back.

Philip Evans, prosecuting, said the family encountered a group of cyclists with one accusing Tasker’s husband of veering towards them as they continued onto Freetown Way.

Evans said: “The Volvo and the cyclists travelled almost parallel with one another up to George Street traffic lights. At those traffic lights, the cyclist tapped on the closed passenger window of the Volvo where the defendant was sat.

“A conversation between the driver and the cyclists followed which led to an exchange of imprecations.”

At the next junction with Percy Street, the cyclist squirted water at the Volvo, and at the next set of traffic lights, Tasker held out a paper cup filled with cold coffee and spilt it on the victim’s chest.

As all parties continued onto Spring Bank, Tasker then hurled a “translucent liquid” at her victim. Half an hour later the cyclist felt a “burning sensation” on his left leg and attended Hull Royal Infirmary.

He showered for 30 minutes and doctors examined the substance thrown at him.

Evans said: “The substance was found to be a PH level of 11. This is consistent with cleaning products which are kept in child proof containers that you have to make a special effort to get into.

“The victim was given moisturising cream to help alleviate the burning sensation which he says persisted for some time.”

Judge Richardson, who likened the substance to “oven cleaner,” said: “The children of the defendant were present in the car. They are toddlers and to see their mother behave as she did must have been a frightening experience for them indeed. It went completely against the welfare interests of the children.”

Sentencing, he said he was taking into account Tasker’s “exceptional” circumstances. She is full-time carer for both of her children, one of whom is “medically disadvantaged.”

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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18 comments

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Yorkshire wallet | 6 years ago
3 likes

I remember decades ago when I was a youngster on a raleigh burner, we were mucking about in a farmers yard, climbing on his haybales etc. and he starting shooting his air rifle at us, so back on the burners we got and pedalled off.....

A little bit later we realised that we had a burning sensation on our bottoms......

He'd put creasote on the seats before he came to chase us off. He got a talking to by the local bobbie but I suspect if he'd done the same now he'd be in court for child abuse or something. Or if he put it on Youtube it'd just be a prank.

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds | 6 years ago
1 like

I use that stretch of road (fretown way) everytime I get off the train when I visit the folks, there's a painted cycle lane and even if you take a wide line there's ample space to get past safely (it's a dual carriageway with 30mph speed limit) but many simply aren't interested in waiting a second or two or simply adjusting their speed in advance.

The driving standard and agressiveness is horrible in the city but I won't be put off by stories like this.

The sentencing is an absolute joke, yet another heinous attack that should have seen a custodial sentence. You play stupid games you win stupid prizes, using your kids as a get out clause is dispicable. The judge is acomplete dick, clearly she isn't fit to look after her own children and social services should be involved. I doubt she will complete her 200 hours.

I've named and shamed this piece of shit on the 'This is Hull' FB page as it's not getting any coverage/comment.

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burtthebike | 6 years ago
0 likes

Would it have been appropriate to throw drain cleaner back?

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Bloke On A Bike | 6 years ago
1 like

Permanently scar a person and get what accounts to a slap on the wrist! 

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RoubaixCube | 6 years ago
2 likes

Judge done a great job. She will lose a year of her life while the victim will be scared for life not just physically but possibly mentally as well.

What a joke

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fenix replied to RoubaixCube | 6 years ago
5 likes

RoubaixCube wrote:

Judge done a great job. She will lose a year of her life while the victim will be scared for life not just physically but possibly mentally as well. What a joke

 

No she doesn't.  Suspended sentence even.....

 

Did you mean scared or scarred  ? Both are possible. 

Avatar
Ush | 6 years ago
9 likes

There really needs to be an easily searchable public database of magistrates', judges', recorders', coroners' decisions, and the basics of each case.  That is the only way we are going to be able to tell whether there is a bias against cyclists in sentencing.

I find it hard to believe that someone capable of throwing a corrosive substance onto another human being is a fit and appropriate carer for a child, and especially not for a child with medical problems.  

And why isn't her husband being prosecuted for something?  Did he know that his soul mate was pouring coffee and oven-cleaner over other humans and do nothing?

 Why are these sub-humans allowed to be in charge of a vehicle... ever?

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brooksby | 6 years ago
2 likes

I read this with a sense of impending dread, then relaxed: my cousin is a Mrs Tasker and lives in Hull.  Her name's not Deborah, though...

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philhubbard | 6 years ago
4 likes

Love how this is in Hull where they are currently trying to stop cyclists racing on the bypass as it's dangerous for the cyclists. Can't we just ban people like this from the city instead?

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EddyBerckx | 6 years ago
13 likes

Good job she didnt do it in a nightclub else she'd have got a life sentence....

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ChrisB200SX replied to EddyBerckx | 6 years ago
5 likes

StoopidUserName wrote:

Good job she didnt do it in a nightclub else she'd have got a life sentence....

Yeah, this ^

I thought they were supposed to be clamping down on "acid" attacks. I know it's not acid, but it's basically the same, throwing a nasty chemical over someone with the intent to harm. She really should have gone to jail. A rap on the knuckles and community service really doesn't act as a deterrent for others... Oh, I get it, it was only a cyclist that she attacked.

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jimc101 | 6 years ago
4 likes

12 month suspend for using a WMD, nice British justice system.

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Jimnm replied to jimc101 | 6 years ago
1 like

jimc101 wrote:

12 month suspend for using a WMD, nice British justice system.

It’s a judge that’s never cleaned an oven in his life, dishing out soft sentences because the prisons are heaving. 

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Rapha Nadal | 6 years ago
3 likes

My other half wouldn't let me throw her at a cyclist.

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Yorkshire wallet | 6 years ago
10 likes

Guarantee it would be jail time if she was a man. Women seem to get away with a lot.

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danthomascyclist replied to Yorkshire wallet | 6 years ago
15 likes

Yorkshire wallet wrote:

Guarantee it would be jail time if she was a man.

Or if the victim wasn't a cyclist

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pockstone replied to Yorkshire wallet | 6 years ago
5 likes

Yorkshire wallet wrote:

 Women seem to get away with a lot.

They certainly do in our house.

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Tommytrucker | 6 years ago
5 likes

Parent of the year right there.

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