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Violent Drunks Beat Taxi Driver
14 August 2009
Two drunks slammed a taxi driver's head in his car door and kicked it like a rugby ball in a sickening assault in Weston.
Paul Flint was also punched in the head repeatedly when he requested payment for waiting outside The Regency in Lower Church Road.
One of the men, John Evans, then fled the scene and assaulted a police officer in a nearby car park.
Magistrates at North Somerset Courthouse in St Georges were told how the pair subjected Mr Flint to a sustained attack after a heavy drinking session on July 27.
Rebecca Gardner, prosecuting, told the court the kick came when Mr Flint was leaning out of the car door trying to pick up coins one of the men threw on the floor to cover the payment.
She read out a statement from an off duty police officer, David Reynolds, about the behaviour of Evans, referred to as Teddy, aged 52, of St Marks Road, Worle.
It said: "Teddy ran up from behind the driver and kicked him in the head.
"I can only describe his actions as that of being like a rugby player doing a drop kick.
"He kicked the man right back into the car and he passed out."
The court heard that earlier, Evans had smashed the car's wing mirror and Henderson, referred to as Roscoe, had punched Mr Flint to start the assault.
Mr Flint then returned to his vehicle, where Henderson, aged 37, of Greenland Road, punched him in the head several times, before slamming the car door on his head and leg on separate occasions.
The Apple Taxis driver suffered concussion as well as cuts and bruises to his head and leg.
Evans pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, criminal damage and assaulting a police officer.
Defending himself from the dock, he said: "I'm ashamed of what I have done, when the police constable told me I said 'it sounds like you are talking about somebody else'."
Henderson pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Also defending himself, he blamed stress at home for the incident, but said it did not justify the out of control drinking session.
Chairman of the bench Robert Gough told the pair: "The matter for which you are jointly charged was a prolonged assault on somebody who was just doing their job and it was a vicious assault."
He adjourned the case and warned the pair they are likely to face jail when they return for sentencing on August 28.
Source; Weston & Somerset Mercury - TheWestonMercury.co.uk
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