Brothers sentenced for firing ball bearings at taxi in south coast incident

Two brothers from Bransgore have been sentenced for criminal damage and public order offences after firing ball bearings at a taxi, causing extensive damage.

The incident took place in February 2023 on Burley Road, Bransgore, leaving the taxi driver in fear of violence.

Dillon and Thomas Cooper, both 21, were sentenced at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on 10 September. The pair had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing in July. Each received an 18-month community order and were ordered to pay £650 each in compensation to the taxi driver.

Thomas Cooper must also complete 150 hours of unpaid work and up to 15 rehabilitation activity days. He was also sentenced for assaulting two police officers during a separate incident in January 2023.

Dillon Cooper was ordered to complete 270 hours of unpaid work and up to 20 rehabilitation activity days. In addition to the taxi incident, he was convicted for stealing £3,500 worth of camping equipment and tools from a vehicle in June 2023. He was ordered to pay £2,746.62 in compensation to the victim of the theft.

PC Katherine Gillingham said: “I am pleased for the victims in these cases with the positive outcome at court. The Cooper brothers will now face the consequences of their actions and will have to compensate those who they have committed crimes against.

“Behaviour and criminality such as theirs will never be tolerated and we will always work tirelessly to ensure offenders are held to account for their offending.

“This should serve as a reminder to other offenders out there that we will always seek to bring you to justice.

“You will not be allowed to simply get away with stealing, causing damage, putting innocent members of the public in fear of their safety and assaulting police officers in the execution of their duties.”