Taxi Driver Online

Yob punched taxi driver for refusing to sing along to Neil Diamond

CABBIE Ken Collins was never a big Neil Diamond fan — especially after his wife left him 40 years ago for a crooner who belted out the singer’s famous hit Sweet Caroline. So it was under-standable that when a drunken passenger asked the 77-year-old driver from Breightmet to join him in an impromptu duet, he politely declined.

However, Matthew Rothwell, who had been drinking in Manchester city centre, did not take the rejection so well. He swore at Mr Collins. Then once he had got out of the taxi, he punched him in the face at the driver’s open window. Covered in blood, the shocked cabbie parked his car and called an ambulance.

The attack, which took place in Failsworth, Oldham, in the early hours of Sunday, February 24, left the great-grandfather, of Bury Road, Breightmet, with two missing teeth and damage to his dentures. Rothwell, aged 52, of Langton Close, Failsworth, admitted assault causing actually bodily harm at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court — but escaped a jail term.

Mr Collins, who works for Radio Cars in Manchester, said: “Rothwell said, ‘Do you like Neil Diamond?’ I said ‘All I want to do is get you home.’ “I don’t like Neil Diamond, my wife ran off with a fella in 1973 who sang Sweet Caroline and left me with the children.” He said the attack has left him “constantly on edge”.

Mr Collins added: “I didn’t want him to go to prison, but I thought he should do to act as a deterrent for people attacking other drivers. “I have had a triple by-pass and a heart attack in the past so I was worried about that when I was punched — but when the ambulance arrived by blood pressure was bang on. “I couldn’t sleep after it. I was in tears, there was just so much emotion.”

The day after the attack the veteran driver travelled to Thailand on holiday but was forced to come home early due to the injury. He said he still suffers from pain. He was left out of pocket after having to pay for a return flight, new dentures and loss of earnings. It was not the first time Mr Collins had been attacked — in 1995 a passenger pulled a knife on him in Salford.

Recorder Judge Eric Lamb sentenced Rothwell to a 12-month community order with supervision and 200 hours of unpaid work.

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IDFIMH

Who in their right mind, drunk or not, would attack a 77 year old. Lowest of the low

i gonna post that yesterday but anger got better of me so i no post what i felt

Yup my mate would've had a field day with him.