Taxi Driver Online

Vicious attack on taxi driver

A TERRIFIED taxi driver today told how he feared he was going to be killed as his head was stamped on by two men who fled from his cab without paying. Neil Barry's ordeal began after he picked up two men and two women in Anderson Street, South Shields, just before 4am on Sunday.

The passengers had asked to be taken to Sunderland city centre, but instead of paying the £18.60 fare when they reached their destination, they tried to run off.

The attack happened when the 43-year-old cabbie managed to grab one of the women and tell her that she'd have to pay the cash. Her friends then came back and launched a savage attack on the father-of-two.

He said: "The two lads were literally jumping on my head. I have the footprints embedded on my forehead. I could have been killed. "Thankfully, there were some bouncers outside the Glass Spider bar who came to my rescue and pulled them off. I was stunned and completely shaken."

Mr Barry, from Marsden, South Shields, was taken to South Tyneside District Hospital to be checked over. He was left with a black eye and bruising to his head, ribs and elbows, but should make a full recovery. But he also says he lost his wallet, containing takings and rent money, during the attack.

Now the driver, who works for Princess Taxis in Victoria Road, South Shields, is calling for tougher measures to protect cabbies. He said: "There's Pubwatch for the bars, which helps them spot troublesome punters, so I don't see why we can't have a taxi watch. In fact, we could even link up. If people are causing trouble in bars, then we'd know not to let them into our cars and put ourselves at risk."

He added: "These days people think they can get away with anything and it's time to show them they can't." Mr Barry has been left shaken by his ordeal. He said: "I haven't been back to work yet. I need a few days to recover, but it will certainly make me think twice next time I take a fare. "I only moved back to South Shields a few years ago, after living in Nottingham. I love the area, but I'm starting to regret I did now."

A police spokesman said: "At 4.07am on Sunday, June 27, police were called to reports of a disturbance outside a bar in Green Terrace, Sunderland. "Officers attended and four people were arrested for assault."

Two men aged 18 and 19, and two women aged 22 and 23, all from South Tyneside, have now been bailed pending further inquiries.

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IDFIMH

But I doubt if Frank Lay sees any problem here. After all, it's surely part and parcel of the job.

If you take a job as a taxi driver, what else do you expect?

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Caledonian Cabbie

I don't think that is what Frank is trying to say at all. I think you're just twisting it a little bit for the fun of it

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

So what was he trying to say, Toots?

Because I don't see how you can tell what he was trying to say, because even he doesn't seem to know

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Caledonian Cabbie