Taxi Driver Feared For His Life In Terrifying Attack
July 15, 2009
A taxi driver faced a “life and death” moment when a gang of robbers threatened him with a broken bottle after ramming his cab.
Harikrishnam Swamipillai, 45, was driving home after his last fare in Wokingham when he was set upon by the three men with Irish accents and tattoos, who threatened him with a bottle and stole £90.
Mr Swamipillai, who has worked in the borough for eight months, said: “I am not a man of violence but a man has his limits when it comes to a matter of life and death.
“I really thought they were going to kill me.”
The father-of-two, from Maidenhead, added: “It was a frightening situation. I have been through hell and had to be out of work for a week to start to come to terms with it.
“I have never experienced anything like this in my time as a taxi driver.”
Mr Swamipillai was waiting at traffic lights in Rectory Road at 1.40am on Wednesday, July 1, when he saw a van swerving towards him in his mirrors.
The van then hit his silver Audi A6.
When he got out the men became confrontational.
He said: “They started swearing at me, I ignored them and said you have hit me, there is no need to swear.
“I was trying to resolve the issue, but one got out of the van, and I could smell the alcohol on him and see in the back there were a lot of expensive-looking televisions.
“I knew they were up to no good and would not want to swap insurance details.
“He said, ‘what do you want [edited by admin]?’, then another one came out of the van and said ‘let’s finish him off’.”
Mr Swamipillai attempted to drive away but was followed and forced to abandon his car.
One of the robbers grabbed him by the neck while another stole cash from his pocket.
He kicked his attackers and ran to a garden in Wiltshire Road where he attempted to contact police.
The robbers scratched his car but drove off when they realised he was contacting police.
The first man is fat, 6ft tall with shoulder length blond and grey hair. The second man is short, with black crew-cut hair and in his 20s.
The third man is stocky, about 29 years old with blond hair.
Contact Wokingham police on 08458 505 505.
Source; getwokingham.co.uk
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