Taxi Driver Online

Derby Evening Telegraph

May 15, 2007 Tuesday

Knife-raid taxi driver: I thought I would die

A Taxi driver has told how he feared he would die during a terrifying knifepoint robbery in his cab. It is the second time Muhammed Ejaz Khan has been attacked in the space of three weeks.

The married father-of-two had only just returned to work at Abbey Cars in Derby last week when he was the victim of another assault.

He had picked up two men from outside the Victoria Inn in Cowley Street, at 1.30am on Saturday and was heading to Mackworth. They directed him down a dead end near Pimlico and one grabbed him by the throat while the other produced a knife.

Mr Khan said he feared for his life. "I thought I was going to die," he said. "They were both sat in the back and one grabbed my neck with both hands.

"I couldn't breathe. The other then came to the front, produced the knife and said 'Give me the money'. "He took about £100 and my mobile phone and they ran off."

The robbers also smashed his radio in the car before they left so he could not call for help. Mr Khan, 32, said he was still feeling pain in his neck following the ordeal.

Three weeks earlier, he had refused to allow a group of men into his cab outside the Abbey Cars' premises in Curzon Street because they were drunk and swearing at him.

When he told them he would not accept the fare, they started punching him. "I couldn't work for two weeks after that because I was so scared," he said. "I can't believe it's happened again. I don't feel safe any more."

Shil Sharma, manager of Abbey Cars, said he was "appalled" by the attack. "It's disgusting that it happens in this day and age but it does, unfortunately," he said.

Some drivers have CCTV cameras fitted in their cars and Mr Sharma is now encouraging them all to equip their vehicles with the technology, which costs £300.

"It would make them feel more secure. Your life is worth more than £300," he said. CCTV cameras were first installed in Derby taxis on a limited basis in 2005 to try to reduce the threat posed to drivers.

Police and taxi operators joined forces in a scheme, which they hoped would deter attacks and record any assaults so the footage could be used as evidence.

A Derbyshire police spokesman said they were working with Derby Community Safety Partnership to put more cameras in vehicles. He said: "We are hoping to extend the scheme."

Funding could be made available to cabbies to install the cameras. The spokesman said that drivers should be wary about who they pick up and contact the police or their company if they have any difficulties.

Councillor Margaret Redfern, chairman of the city council's taxi licensing and appeals committee, said the authority had piloted taxi marshals with some success, but extra measures could be introduced if drivers felt they were needed.
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