A British boxer allegedly attacked a Turkish taxi driver, attempting to bite his nose and gouge his eyes, in a dashcam-captured incident on a busy highway in Istanbul. Ross Kitchen, the boxer, faces up to 33 years in prison if convicted of aggravated intentional injury and robbery.
The attack occurred on April 25 when Kadir Bicer, 56, picked up Kitchen from Istanbul Airport. Dashcam footage shows Kitchen becoming agitated in the back seat before lunging at the driver, grabbing his arm, and putting him in a chokehold. Kitchen then allegedly clawed at Bicer's nose and jammed his fingers into his eyes while the taxi was still moving.
Bicer managed to pull over and escape the cab, but Kitchen continued the assault on the ground, leaving the driver unconscious at the roadside. A fellow cabbie found Bicer and called paramedics. Bicer was hospitalised and spent time in a coma. He now suffers from facial numbness, vision loss in one eye, and nightmares.
In court on November 4, Kitchen claimed he acted in panic due to a panic attack, believing he was being kidnapped. However, Bicer alleged the dispute was over the taxi fare, claiming Kitchen stole 60,000 Turkish Lira (£1,094) and €40 from his car. Prosecutors charged Kitchen with aggravated intentional injury causing bone fractures and aggravated robbery, seeking 13 to 33 years in prison. The court ordered Kitchen to remain in custody pending trial.
