Taxi driver needed facial reconstruction surgery after being punched by passenger... the thug had the nerve to ask him to finish the journey
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... s-17398210
'They didn’t take any money off him, they didn’t threaten him, they weren’t aggressive. For no reason he’s come out and punched him. It’s very weird'
Image: Manchester Evening News/Rochdale Observer
An elderly taxi driver needed facial reconstruction surgery after being attacked by a customer as he filled up his cab at a petrol station.
Manzoor Hussain, 67, was left bleeding after the unprovoked attack and was forced to drive himself to hospital.
He was left with damage to his eye socket.
In a bizarre twist the passenger then 'had the nerve' to ask Mr Hussain to complete his booking.
The attack took place after the father-of-five picked up some customers at around 11.30pm during a shift in Rochdale in November.
Mr Hussain's son Majid said his father asked to stop at a petrol station on Manchester Road on the way.
As his dad filled up the tank, the customer went into the petrol station before coming back to the car and attacking him.
Majid, 30, said: "He finished fuelling up and was paying at the pump when he was counting his change. When he was doing that he felt a punch right on his face.
"He fell backwards and it’s taken him off his feet."
"He’s sat there for a bit in shock and then the attacker asked him [if he could complete the journey]. He said no - he was bleeding and not going anywhere.
"He made his own way to hospital with him being able to see only out the one eye.
"They didn’t take any money off him, they didn’t threaten him. He said they weren’t aggressive. For no reason he’s come out and punched him. It’s very weird - I’m not sure what was going through their mind.
"They didn’t even say why.
"He’s doing a job for them and they’ve turned around and assaulted him for no apparent reason. It’s confusing more than anything."
Majid said his dad has lived in the Deeplish area of Rochdale for around 25 years, and has had some trouble in his cab before, including being robbed - but nothing as serious as this.
In the weeks since, Manzoor, a part-time taxi driver, has barely left the house and has had to have 'painful' facial reconstructive surgery as his eyesight is being affected.
Majid said: "He’s nervous now to even go out and drive his car.
"It has knocked his confidence. He’s had trouble before but nothing like this.
"I am quite a bit upset. He wanted to carry on working and this has happened."
Majid added: "I have been calling the police every day and all they just say is the officer investigating is on holiday.
"At one point we went to the police station - we said this is a joke now.
"If they had seen him they would have seen his injuries are far from minor."
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "Police were called to reports of an assault on Manchester Road in Rochdale
"A taxi driver was assaulted by a man whilst he was refuelling at the petrol station, sustaining injuries to his face. The offender then makes off."
Detectives are reviewing CCTV footage and enquiries are ongoing.
