Taxi Driver Online

27 Feb 2008

TAXI DRIVER 'SCARED TO WORK' FOLLOWING ATTACK

An Exeter taxi driver said he feared for his life when he was assaulted by
a violent reveller after refusing to follow two women in his cab.

Suleyman Guvenc says he was scared to go back to work in the city after
being punched by Andrew Blanchard.

Twenty-five-year-old Blanchard had been on a night out with his brother
on December 29 last year when he approached Mr Guvenc's taxi, which
was parked in Bailey Street, Exeter, at 2am magistrates heard yesterday.

They told Mr Guvenc to follow another taxi which two young women were
getting into and both became very aggressive when he refused, punching
the screen separating them from the front of the car.

Unemployed Blanchard, of Crowthorne Road, Bracknell, then got out of
the car and started punching the half-open driver's side window before
reaching in and punching Mr Guvenc on the neck.

He damaged the car before walking off towards Queen Street, where he
was later found after the taxi driver called police.

When interviewed Blanchard said he had no comment, and was bailed until
February 8.

Mr Guvenc identified him and he was charged with assault and criminal damage.

The taxi driver said in a statement: "This incident has made me feel so
scared, but I have to work to pay the mortgage.

"I felt when they were going to kill me.

"I am normally a confident person and now I'm scared every time I go to
work because I'm worried. I'm an easy target because my attackers took
my registration number."

In his defence Blanchard said he had been staying in Devon over
Christmas and met the girls on a night out. They invited him and his
brother to their home but they had to get a separate taxi because they
couldn't all fit in one car. The girls suggested they follow in another but
didn't give Blanchard their address.

He said Mr Guvenc had misinterpreted his instruction to follow them to
mean he was stalking the women even though he had tried to make
himself understood.

He said he was only punching the car and didn't mean to punch Mr Guvenc.

Blanchard, who pleaded guilty, will be sentenced on March 25.

Chairwoman of the bench Mary Seaton said: "We are asking for full
reports from the probation service because you attacked a public servant
who was just doing his job."

Source: Express & Echo
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