Two partygoers from Bournemouth have been hit with fines totalling £200 after they brazenly boasted on social media about dodging a taxi fare, an act that led directly to their identification by police.
Social Media Boast Leads to Court
Larisa Sumovskaja, 18, and Jasmine Orchard, 21, were picked up by a taxi driver after a night out in Bournemouth, Dorset, in January. After a three-mile journey to the West Howe area, the pair left the vehicle without paying the £38 fare.
When the driver tried to stop them from getting away, an altercation broke out where the women lashed out at him before fleeing the scene.
Dorset Police later launched a public appeal, sharing dashcam images of the suspects on social media. In a remarkable act of self-incrimination, Larisa Sumovskaja shared the police appeal to her own social media followers, writing ‘go like it guys xxx’. Her friends commented that she had effectively ‘outed herself’ as the culprit.
Court Hears Impact on Victim
Sumovskaja and Orchard appeared at Poole Magistrates' Court where they both pleaded guilty to making off without payment. Prosecuting, Tara Olney described the defendants as friends who ‘operated in tandem’.
The magistrates heard a significant impact statement from the victim. The taxi driver explained that since the incident he has stopped working nights and has suffered a loss of income due to the anxiety it caused him.
In defence, Niall Theobald, representing Sumovskaja, said his client was an ‘immature young lady’ who suffered from mental health issues. The court heard that Orchard had no previous convictions at the time of the taxi incident.
Both women were ordered to pay £100 each in compensation to the driver.
A History of Unruly Behaviour
This is not the first time the pair have faced justice together. In a separate incident two months later in March, they assaulted staff at Bournemouth's Camel Bar.
After being escorted out following a night out, they insulted bar manager Mohammed Saffi about his weight, spat at two security staff, and hit them with their handbags. For this assault, both were convicted and sentenced to 100 hours of community service in August, and were banned from the venue.
The court was told Orchard is complying well with that community order. The taxi fare evasion, therefore, represents an earlier chapter in their offending, now resolved with financial penalties.
