Taxi Driver Online

A TAXI driver who has been left frightened and possibly permanently damaged after a vicious and unprovoked assault, is hoping his attacker will be brought to justice.

Nadeem Akram, 33, a hackney carriage taxi driver, was assaulted by a teenage thug which not only left him with multiple fractures to his jaw, but possible permanent damage.

Mr Akram was in his taxi on Ottawa Road in Middlesbrough on Monday, December 27 at about 11.30pm when a gang of youths stood in front of his car.

One opened his car door and attacked him.

He said: “I can’t quite believe it has happened.”

“I was taking two passengers home - one had got out on Ottawa Road and the other I was dropping of elsewhere.

“The next thing I knew was that a gang of youths were stood in the middle of the road and then my car door was opened and I was knocked out.

“It is all a bit of a blur and happened so quickly but I remember being called racist names and that the passenger I still had in the back of the car was sticking up for me.

“She was so nice - it might have been a lot different if she wasn’t there. I am grateful that she was.”

Mr Akram, of Ingleby Barwick , added: “When I regained consciousness, all I saw was blood everywhere - I was in so much pain.”

He was rushed to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough and underwent facial surgery.

He now has metal plates in his jaw which may never be removed.
“A couple of my teeth were broken and my jaw was badly fractured”, he said.

“I still can’t feel anything on one side of my face because the nerve is damaged.

“The doctors have said this may last a couple of years but if not - for life.

“I am really worried.”

Mr Akram, who has been working as a taxi driver for five years, added: “This is the first time anything like this has happened to me.

“I am now so frightened to get back in a taxi.

“It is my livelihood but I am too scared to go back to work.

“My family are devastated about it all. They came to see me in hospital and I couldn’t talk to them for a week.

“I’m still struggling with my speech and I am in a lot of pain.”

Mr Akram is now recovering at home with his family and is on a liquid diet whilst his jaw heals.

“It is killing me”, said the married dad-of-two.

“I want the person responsible for this brought to justice so they can’t do this to anyone else.”

The attacker is described as white, aged between 16 and 18, and around 5ft 3ins tall.

He was wearing a light coloured hat with ear flaps and a grey hooded jogging tracksuit.

DC Gez Wraith said: “We take matters such as this extremely seriously. This was a very distressing incident for the victim and I would urge anyone with any information or anyone who witnessed the incident to get in touch.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Detective Constable Gez Wraith on 01642 303126 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.



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