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Woman started attack on Peterborough taxi driver
A TERRIFIED taxi driver has told how a violent woman passenger viciously punched him in the head triggering a brutal assault by five other thugs. Mohammad Farooq (36) of West Town, a private hire driver in Peterborough for the past six years, was left fearing for his life after being set upon by up to six yobs in a late-night dispute over a fare.
As he tried to control the number of people getting into his taxi, a young woman who had got into the front passenger seat, hit him in the left eye. He scrambled to get out of the vehicle and as he did so was punched twice in the face by two men. He fell unconscious and bleeding to the pavement where he was kicked at least 10 times by the yobs before they fled.
He came round to find himself in Peterborough City Hospital where he was treated for facial fractures, two fractured ribs and a severely bloodshot left eye and injuries on both of his arms and hands.
The attack happened at 3.15am on Saturday as Mr Farooq arrived in the Cromwell Road and Russell Street area of Peterborough to pick up passengers who had requested a taxi.
Although three taxis had been requested to cope with the size of the group, Mr Farooq – who works for A2B Euro Taxi – arrived first in his silver four-seater Vauxhall Vectra.
He said a “girl” jumped in the front seat, while “four or five men” leapt in the back. He told them he could only carry four in his car. He said: “The girl punched me in the face in my left eye. “I opened the door and was about to run off but one man got out and punched me in the left eye, which went completely black.
“While I was at the back of the car, another man then came out and punched me on the left cheek. After that I don’t remember anything until I woke up in hospital three hours later.”
The third punch knocked Mr Farooq to the floor and he is told by two taxi drivers who arrived a short while later, and a doctor, that he was kicked up to 10 times. With the shock still on his face, he said: “Before I was knocked out, I feared for my life and I’m still feeling very scared now.” The attackers ran towards the city centre before police and paramedics arrived on scene.
The father-of-two said: “My children were really scared when they saw me and started crying.” The attack has left Mr Farooq considering whether to get behind the wheel as a taxi driver again. He added: “It will be at least four weeks until I even think about going back to work again.”
Mohammed Shahid, chairman of private hire drivers’ association in Peterborough, which represents more than 500 drivers, condemned the attackers. Mr Shahid, who is also Mr Farooq’s cousin, said: “He’s lucky to be alive. “I’m disgusted at what has happened.”
“As drivers in this city we provide an essential service for the movement of people in Peterborough. “It’s a shame when one of the drivers is attacked like this. It puts fear in all of the drivers.”
A police spokesman has released descriptions of two attackers. One man is described as mixed race and aged between 20 and 28. The woman had black, curly hair.
He said: “We took statements on the night from the victim and witnesses and we are looking through CCTV and making inquiries into who booked the taxi.” He also added: “This was a nasty incident.”
Police can be contacted on 0345 4564564 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
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