CABBIE WHO CALLS HIMSELF 'SINGING TAXI GUY' ADMITS GASLIGHTING AND CONTROLLING HIS WIFE DURING 17-YEAR MARRIAGE
A man known online as the “Singing Taxi Guy” has confessed to subjecting his former wife to years of controlling and coercive conduct during their 17-year marriage.Gary Cowburn, aged 45, from Hindley in Greater Manchester, gained social media followers by sharing videos of himself singing while driving a private hire vehicle.
Despite his online persona, the court was informed that he engaged in a sustained pattern of abuse against his ex-wife from 2019 to 2021.
At Bolton Crown Court, Cowburn pleaded guilty to gaslighting, intimidation, and repeated controlling behavior.
He was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years.
Additionally, he was ordered to undertake 30 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, attend a programme aimed at fostering better relationships, and complete 140 hours of unpaid work.
A restraining order was also issued, prohibiting contact with his former wife for ten years.
The court heard that the couple met in 1999 and married in 2004.
The complainant recounted that early signs of jealousy and control appeared from 2001, often exacerbated by alcohol consumption.
One notable incident involved an argument over dishes that Cowburn claimed had a “bad odour.” After she responded, he pushed her against a kitchen counter and pressed his hand against her neck for several seconds before smashing a glass on the floor.
While she cleaned the mess and cut her foot, he later sent abusive messages threatening to set rules and destroy her and their children’s technology if she did not obey.
He also insulted her and warned she would not regain entry to their home without the children.
Another incident saw Cowburn punch her four times in the arm after she refused sex during the night, leaving her with bruises and prompting him to ask her to lie about her injuries.
Tensions escalated further when she tried to leave the house after an argument.
Cowburn arrived in his vehicle, shouted abuse, took her phone, and left her distressed in the street.
Police were called, but it took 33 minutes for officers to arrive, by which time he had deleted messages from her phone.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was not allowed inside a neighbour’s home and had to wait outside in the rain under a blanket until police attended.
In February 2021, as she was heading to a domestic violence support appointment, she received a message from Cowburn mentioning the session.
When she returned home, she found suitcases had been thrown from the attic, and CCTV footage later showed him loading three suitcases into his van and driving away.
A non-molestation order was subsequently issued.
In her victim impact statement, she described a prolonged period of emotional exhaustion, anxiety, panic attacks, and recurring nightmares.
She explained how she had struggled to set boundaries and had grown used to managing his reactions, feeling belittled, overwhelmed, and undervalued throughout their marriage.
She expressed worry about the effects on their two daughters, aged 17 and 13, stressing that no child should witness their parents prosecuting one another.
Nonetheless, she clarified that her primary concern was accountability, not punishment.
The judge recognized the emotional damage caused and noted that Cowburn’s guilty plea spared her from a trial.
While avoiding immediate custody, he remains subject to strict conditions under his suspended sentence and the restraining order.
