Kirkby cabbie left with mental scars after horror attack
Kirkby Taxi Driver, Philip Horton was attacked by three men who tried to run without paying from is taxi in March.Published on Thursday 19 July 2012 10:27A Kirkby taxi driver has spoken of the stress he has suffered after being attacked by teenagers who tried to make off without paying their fare.
Philip Horton suffered cuts and bruises to the head and concussion after being beaten up by two Ollerton teenagers in March last year.
He had picked up three men from Mansfield Woodhouse in the early hours of 11th March and dropped them off on the main street through Ollerton, from where they ran off.
Mr Horton (52), of Richmond Road, gave chase in an attempt to retrieve the £18 fare, but after catching hold of one of them, was subjected to an attack.
Though he was not seriously injured physically, the mental scars of the ordeal have been longer lasting.
“Before this happened I suffered from anxiety, panic attacks and stress, so obviously this has made it worse,” he said.
“My doctor’s told me to pack in work, but at my age I can’t get another job.
“It’s constantly on my mind, especially when it’s the weekend, with busy nights.”
The attack happened at around 3.30 to 4am after he had picked up the group on Peafield Lane.
“They had no money on them, so when I got to Ollerton, they made out they were using the cash machine but then ran off,” said Mr Horton.
“They were all that drunk I just locked the car and went after them.
“They were trying to run but only went about 100 yards.
“I caught one but the other two climbed over a fence. As I got hold of him, I asked him for the money.”
The other two men returned to the scene and Mr Horton was then attacked.
Mr Horton, who has two children and three grandchildren, said that he pleaded with them to stop and after they had, he drove round to Ollerton police station, covered in blood, and was taken to King’s Mill Hospital for treatment.
Mr Horton, who works night shifts in the Mansfield and Ashfield areas, said that taxi drivers often encounter some trouble in their work, but this experience has left him traumatised to the extent that he can be physically sick with anxiety before starting his shift.
His wife Jennifer has had to call an ambulance out on more than one occasion because he has been so ill.
He has had to reduce his hours and sometimes does not work Saturdays - the busiest night of the week - because of his fears that he could be attacked again.
“After one or two o’clock, when you’re picking all the drunks up, I think ‘is it going to happen again?’,” said Mr Horton.
“When they have had ale, they don’t know when to stop.”
Mr Horton said he will not give up his job and let the troublemakers win but Mrs Horton has bought him a CCTV camera to use in his taxi.
“He isn’t going to change because of those three, but it does affect him and it’s made him more aware,” she said.
“I was frightened to death and once it goes past 5 o’clock, if he is not home I start panicking.”
Matthew Parmley (19), of Kingsway Avenue, New Ollerton, and Liam Triandafilou (19), of Walesby Lane, New Ollerton, pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court to assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to the attack on Mr Horton and to making off without payment. They were both ordered to pay compensation and given community orders to complete 125 hours of unpaid work.
Luke Cresswell (22), of Fourth Avenue, Edwinstowe admitted making off without payment and was fined £250 plus a £15 victim surcharge.
Source; http://www.chad.co.uk/news/local/kirkby ... -1-4751863
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