Taxi driver assaulted by passenger (From Watford Observer)

Watford taxi driver assaulted by passenger

12:40pm Wednesday 17th March 2010 in News By Court Reporter

A Watford taxi driver has been praised after taking a man who assaulted a fellow cabbie to police.

Lloyd Dewen thought he had got away with his part in a group assault of taxi driver Iftikhar Ali in Oxhey Lane, Watford, when he flagged down another cab and asked to be taken home.

Quick-thinking Mushtaq Hussain let Dewen get in, but as the 23-year-old lay down in the back to avoid being seen, drove him to police who had arrived at the scene of the assault.

St Albans Crown Court heard on Tuesday that Mr Ali ended up on the end of a beating from passengers and two pedestrians after picking up a fare outside The Palace Theatre in Watford High Street at 2.30am on Sunday, November 16, 2008.

After Mr Ali swerved to avoid two pedestrians in Oxhey Lane the front seat passenger slapped the driver around the face and called him a P***.

The prosecution alleged Dewen was that man but could not prove it and accepted the defendant's account he was one of the two men in the street that went on to attack the driver.

Gavin Pottinger, prosecuting said: "Mr Ali stopped the car and said he was not going to take them any further.

"The man in the front seat got in the driver's door and tried to drive off.

"Mr Ali intervened and the violence started."

The driver was attacked by men from the taxi and then the two who had been in the road earlier, before all made off as other taxis arrived to help.

One of the men, alleged to have been Dewen, was seen knocking someone off a bicycle before escaping into a field.

Mr Pottinger said: "Taxi driver Mr Hussain deserves particular credit.

"He blocked the exit of Mr Ali's taxi with his car.

"He got back in his vehicle and was flagged down by the defendant, who didn't realise he was the same person that had intervened earlier.

"Dewen asked to go to Burnt Oak, but instead of taking him there Mr Hussain took him back to the scene of the incident where police were and they put him in the back of a car."

Mr Pottinger added: "He was quite clearly drunk and on the way back, once he realised something was going on, asked to be dropped off and offered money.

"When the driver carried on he said 'you f****** P*** I'm going to kill you'."

Builder Dewen, of Numpton Drive, Barnet pleaded guilty on the day of trial to ABH and racially aggravated harassment.

He has a number of convictions for violence and after these offences was on bail when he went on to assault a police officer.

Judge Martin Griffith imposed a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Dewen will be curfewed for three months at his partner's address in Silkstream Road, Burnt Oak.

He must carry out 150 hours unpaid work and pay £1,000 towards the prosecution costs.

Judge Griffith said: "It is about time you grew up.

"If you breach this order and come back before me you can expect to serve the best part of a year."