Taxi Driver Online

New lead in hunt for taxi cab thugs

By Terry Morgan

A TAXI driver's pleas for mercy were ignored as two men staged a brutal attack.

The cabbie, aged 56, was strangled and threatened with stabbing as the thugs punched and kicked him in a dark country lane in Greenmount.

Now, nearly two months after the assault, the victim has only just returned to work, but is too scared to work the night shift for Peel Taxis, police have revealed.

The father-of-five's ordeal began at 4am on February 7 when he picked up two men from outside the Peel taxi base in Butcher Lane, Bury, and was told to drive to Greenmount. Detective Sergeant Dave Baines said: "The driver was directed to Holly Mount Lane, which is a quiet, unlit country lane. It was here that the front seat passenger and his accomplice in the back became abusive and launched a violent attack on the driver. The rear seat passenger tried to strangle him as they demanded money. The victim, in fear of his life, handed over £200 in cash and his mobile phone in the hope the attack would stop. Sadly, it didn't.

"In an effort to escape, the driver managed to open his car door but fell into the lane. The two men jumped out and kicked and punched him about the head and chest. The driver was begging for them to stop and telling them he had nothing more to steal. The offenders ignored him and carried on their attack."

When the assaulted ended, the offenders walked off toward Holcombe Road, leaving their victim battered, bruised and covered in blood. The 56-year-old later required hospital treatment to his injuries and remains emotionally scarred.

Police have been reviewing CCTV footage of Bury town centre and now need help in identifying two men in the Butcher Lane area prior to the attack. The first suspect is white, aged in his early 20s, 5ft 9ins tall, with short hair and wearing a black hooded jacket, black tracksuit bottoms and possibly a black money belt around his waist. The second man is also white, of similar age, slightly shorter and short-haired.

DS Baines said: "We believe the offenders live in the Greenmount or Tottington area and would have arrived home at around 5am. They would have had blood on their clothes."

Anyone who has information should contact DS Baines on 856 8179 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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