A PLYMOUTH taxi driver has had his Christmas ruined after his arm was broken by a man he believes was a Royal Marine.
Ian Hughes a driver for Need-a-Cab based on Union Street, said he was attacked by a young man he was taking to Bickleigh Barracks.
He was punched several times and his arm was broken, leaving him unable to work during the lucrative Christmas period.
The 46-year-old father of three said: "My Christmas is completely ruined.
"It's going to cost me about £4,000. Because of this my kids will have no presents this Christmas.
"It's one time of year when us cabbies can really earn some money and I can't drive."
The incident happened in the early hours of Wednesday, December 16.
Mr Hughes said he was taking two men, who he believes were Marines, to Bickleigh, but had to remonstrate with one of them for eating a kebab in the back of the taxi.
"I told him it's not my rules, it's Plymouth City Council's, but he kept on eating," he said.
Mr Hughes said the other man, who was sitting in the front, tried to pacify his friend on several occasions, but at Milehouse he had to pull over, took the food off the man in the back, and handed it to the passenger in the front.
He said: "The man in the front was good as gold and was talking to me normally. I think the other guy felt a bit left out, he kept kicking the back of my chair.
"His mate told him to pack it in and tried to calm him down."
But as he drove up Tavistock Road, Mr Hughes said he was punched hard in the back of the head.
Refusing to take his fares any further, he pulled over and got out. Mr Hughes said the man in the back then attacked him, grabbing him by the throat.
"We rolled around on the floor and his mate pulled him off. He offered me the fare and said they would go.
"But the other man ran at me and broke my arm in the process. He grabbed me and dragged me down and landed on my arm."
Mr Hughes said his assailant also hit him several times when he was on the floor.
It was only when he returned to the taxi office that he realised how badly hurt he was, and a colleague took him to hospital.
Such is his respect for the armed forces in this city that Mr Hughes did not originally go to the police. Instead, he went to Bickleigh Barracks to see if there was anything they could do.
But Mr Hughes said that there had been several incidents involving Marines in taxis recently, including one in which a serviceman urinated in the back of a cab.
He said: "I've got high regard for them but they are acting like complete animals.
"There's no excuse because they've been back [from Afghanistan] quite a few months. It's not like they got back yesterday and are letting off steam."
The police are now investigating the incident.
Investigating officer DC Rebecca Whatmore appealed for any witnesses to the incident to come forward.
She also appealed for the passenger who had not been involved in the violence to come forward and speak to police.
DC Whatmore said the suspect was a man aged about 22, of medium build and about 5ft 8ins tall.
He was wearing a checked shirt and light jeans, spoke with an accent that was not local, and possibly goes by the name 'Baz'.
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 08452 777444 and quote reference EL/09/5971. They can also call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
No one from 42 Commando, the Royal Marines unit based at Bickleigh, was available for comment yesterday.
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