A one-armed taxi driver was subjected to a "despicable" attack by two passengers who mocked his disability, leaving him fearing for his life. The assault occurred in July 2024 after the driver asked the passengers to amend their booking online if they wanted to add an additional stop.
Attack Details
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Drew Davidson and another man were picked up by the taxi driver. During the journey, they requested a second drop-off location and were told it would need to be added through the app they had booked with. The passengers responded aggressively, refusing to comply and calling the driver a "useless taxi driver."
One of the men lunged forward, prompting the driver to exit the vehicle, and the passengers followed him out. Davidson then made offensive remarks about the cabbie's prosthetic arm, asking, "What are you going to do with that?" Violence erupted, with the other attacker kicking the driver's legs from under him, causing him to fall. The second man then kicked and stamped on his head.
Court Proceedings
Prosecutor Jake Bowman described a "scuffle" that began outside the car. He stated: "During that the defendant punched the complainant to the left side of the head, causing him to stumble and the second male kicked his legs from under him, causing him to fall to the ground. Both the defendant and the second male continued to assault him while he was on the floor. He was kicked and stamped on. The defendant accepts he stamped on the complainant's left hand."
Bowman added: "The second male stamped on and kicked the complainant to the head, his head repeatedly bounced off the pavement. The complainant said he feared for his life in that moment and honestly believed they were not going to stop. He curled himself in a ball to protect himself."
Impact on Victim
The victim suffered cuts and bruises to both sides of his head and face, bruising and grazing to his arm and leg, a broken thumb, and a broken finger. In a victim impact statement, he said: "I genuinely feared for my life." He stopped working nights, which was his main source of income, and lost £116,000 in earnings over two years. He later became homeless and had his taxi repossessed.
He added: "It's left me a mental and physical wreck. I attempted to take my life. No one could even imagine the impact this attack has had on me."
Sentencing
Recorder Andrew Haslam KC said the victim had been there to help the men and was repaid with a "thoroughly despicable assault for which you should be ashamed of yourself." Davidson, 26, of Alberdare Road, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The judge noted the offence was aggravated by hostility shown towards the victim based on his disability.
Davidson was sentenced to 27 months suspended for three years, with 250 hours of unpaid work, and must pay £1,000 compensation and £550 costs. His defence, Jordan Parkinson, said Davidson did not throw the punch in the car or lunge forward, and was not responsible for the repeated kicks or stamps to the head. Parkinson added that Davidson is in full-time employment, cares for his elderly mother, and the offence was out of character.
