Southend taxi driver accused of locking young woman in his car in dispute over 20pYOUNG woman says she was left distraught after claiming she was locked in a cab because she was 20p short of her fare.
Roxanne Walker, 23, of Crescent Road, Leigh has caught a taxi to her work at RBS in Southend for the last six years.
The cabbies know her as a long-standing customer but when she fell 20p short of her £10 fare on Tuesday morning, she says the driver locked the door refusing to let her out.
After five minutes he unlocked the door but she claims he then chased her down the road near the RBS building off the A127, causing her to fall over.
A man who witnessed the incident came to her aid.
Ms Walker said: “We got stuck in traffic and I was 20p short.
“I know all the drivers and I said to him to pick me up the following day and I would pay it to him then but he just locked the doors of the cab.
“He said he wouldn’t let me out until I paid the right fare. I threatened to call police but my phone wasn’t working. We were at the Tesco roundabout and he just drove round it and said he would take me to the cash point but I didn’t have my card.
“I was crying my eyes out and panicking but he wouldn’t let me go. I asked him to “please let me go”. Then he opened the door but as I got out he ran after me and I fell. I was screaming. A man saw it all and came to help me.”
The good Samaritan helped the terrified woman into the RBS building and a call was made to police.
Miss Walker added: “I’ve had counselling for panic attacks in the past and this hasn’t helped. I feel like I can’t trust cab drivers now.”
A police spokeswoman said: “Police are investigating a dispute over a taxi fare, which was reported to have happened in Thanet Grange, Westcliff, at 8.30am on November 3.
“Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.”
source:
http://www.braintreeandwithamtimes.co.u ... _her_fare/
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