Taxi Driver Online

Sheerness taxi driver beaten up in his cab was told to make his own way to hospital while his ‘attacker was treated in an ambulance for a panic attack’

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6808605/r ... -hospital/

Granddad Rob King, 64, was punched repeatedly through the open window of his car while waiting for a fare in Sheerness, Kent



A TAXI driver beaten unconscious in his cab says he was told to make his own way to hospital while the yob who assaulted him was treated for a "panic attack".

Granddad Rob King, 64, suffered a broken cheekbone and lost a front tooth in the alleged unprovoked attack.

He was punched repeatedly through the open window of his car as he waited for a fare outside a pizza shop in Sheerness, Kent.

But when he called 999 he was told that ambulance crews were too busy and that he would have to make his own way to hospital.

He said: "Because my injuries weren't considered life-threatening, I was asked if someone else could drive me.

"Then I learned my ambulance had been sent to my attacker who was suffering a panic attack in the high street and was unable to breathe."

He was driven by a cabbie colleague to Medway Maritime Hospital where he was told his alleged attacker was treated rather than him.

Former boxer Mr King added: "You couldn't make it up".

His partner Dhareigne Pearson, 56, said that after the July 1 attack Rob was scared to go back to work.

She told the Sheerness Times Guardian newspaper today: "Rob was waiting for a fare outside a kebab shop when this yob came over and punched the hell out of him through the open window.

"It was so fast and vicious that it knocked him for six."

A spokesman for the South East Coast Ambulance Service confirmed that it was called to attend Mr King at 3.20am, but that due to a "high level of demand", operators asked him to make his own way to hospital.

They also confirmed that an ambulance was sent to treat a man outside the Cyprus Kebab & Pizza takeaway at 3.50am who was "having trouble breathing'"- with paramedics staying with him for an hour.

The spokesman said: "Because we had a very high level of demand that night we asked if he (Mr King) could make his own way to hospital as the injuries weren't life-threatening.

"We later received a call at 3.50am to a man outside the Cyprus Kebab & Pizza shop who was having trouble breathing.

"We sent one ambulance crew which stayed with him for an hour. He didn't require hospital treatment."

One way of playing the victim when you've just knocked someone unconscious in an (allegedly) unprovoked attack

and whats the betting he was simply out of breath after throwing all those punches

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

No mention of the police at all ?????? Strange.

The local version of the article does mention the police at the bottom. Doesn't say much, probably because, as usual, once a suspect has been charged only brief details can be reported.



Which is maybe why the local version doesn't include the bit about the suspect being treated by paramedics while the victim had to make his own way to hospital. Although the Sun's version above does mention this, maybe that was written before the suspect charged, and/or the local version updated to reflect this.

Wouldn’t read ‘the scum’ even if they printed next weeks lottery numbers in it.

they did once and there was over 100 winners including a syndicate of drivers from a ph firm in leicester who all quit work and then found out the following morning they hadn't won that much

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Damion Lewis convicted of attacking taxi driver in Sheerness

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sheerness/ ... ng-187655/

A teenage thug who beat up a defenceless taxi driver during an unprovoked attack has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Damion Lewis left Rob King, 64, with horrendous injuries after punching him unconscious as he sat in his cab.

The grandfather, a former champion boxer from Minster, was parked in Sheerness High Street in the early hours of Sunday, July 1, waiting for a fare when Lewis began punching him through the open driver’s window.

Maidstone magistrates gave the 19-year-old, 120 days in jail, suspended for a year.

He will have to wear an electronic tag as part of a 9pm to 6am curfew until September 26 and was ordered to pay Mr King, who has not worked since the attack, £500 compensation.

Lewis, of Invicta Road, Sheerness, who admitted actual bodily harm, must also pay £115 victim support, £85 prosecution costs and undertake 200 hours unpaid community work.

Mr King’s step-daughter Krystal Pearce, 31, said after the case: “This is so wrong.

“We thought this date was a plea hearing before going to Crown Court for sentencing.

"But magistrates said they could give him a lighter sentence because he pleaded guilty.

"This is an awful sentence for such a callous attack.

The assault knocked one of Mr King’s front teeth out and left him with a black-eye.

“My step-father is not working and has not left the house since. He is now on valium for panic attacks.”

Mr King’s partner Dhareigne Pearce said: “Rob was waiting for a fare outside the Cyprus kebab and pizza shop when this yob came over and punched the hell out of him through the open window.

“This was a senseless and totally unprovoked attack on a 64-year-old man.

"It was so fast and vicious that it knocked him for six.

“He is afraid to leave the house and because he can’t work he doesn’t get paid.”

The assault knocked one of Mr King’s front teeth out and left him with a black-eye.

Teenager Jack Adlam, 19, ran to the rescue and protected Mr King from more blows.

Mrs Pearce said: “If it had not been for him, I dread to think what would have happened to Rob.”

Mr King was working for mini-cab firm Royal Taxis in Blue Town at the time. He was treated at Medway Maritime Hospital.

In the 1970s he chalked up wins in the boxing ring to become Kent middle-weight champ and even won a British tournament.

He said: “I don’t know what’s happening to Sheppey.

"I was born and bred on the Island but in the past 10 years the violence has got worse.”

Hmmmmmmm.

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IDFIMH

I bet if he was out of his car it would have been a different situation. There's nothing better than an ex boxer giving a young bonehead a decent uppercut.

Methinks there is every chance that may well happen some time soon.

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IDFIMH

Maybe, but you don't know what the 19-year-old is capable of, and at 64 the victim is obviously well past his prime.

And wouldn't imagine someone standing outside a car hitting someone inside would be the easiest way to inflict a lot of damage.

I bet he can still throw a punch.