Taxi driver broke Hull man's neck with metal bar
A MAN has told how his neck was broken by a taxi driver in a savage attack.
Les Bowes was beaten with a metal bar by the black-cab driver, breaking two bones in his neck and three in his face.
Doctors said he could have been killed or paralysed.
Mr Bowes, 57, said: "I know I have been very lucky. I could have died or been in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.
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"The doctors said I was very seriously injured."
The taxi driver, Pishtiwan Hamed, has admitted unlawfully wounding Mr Bowes and is due to be sentenced next month.
Mr Bowes spent two weeks in hospital, undergoing surgery to fit a 4in screw in his neck to hold his bones in place.
He was also fitted with a halo brace for several weeks and underwent traction to move his bones.
Mr Bowes had been out in the city centre with his sister Judith and her husband Tony when they got into a black cab from a rank in Ferensway. He said the driver became confused about where he was going close to Mr Bowes's home off Anlaby Road, west Hull.
"My sister was supposed to be going to Market Weighton after I had been dropped off," said Mr Bowes.
"He didn't know where he was going and kept asking us for directions. We couldn't understand him very well, so my sister decided to get out with me and get her son to pick her up.
"She told him we all wanted to get out because he didn't seem to know where he was going. We got out and, as Tony was about to pay him, the driver got out of the car and hit me across the neck with a metal bar.
"I fell to the ground. I can't remember much after that."
Mr Bowes has been told he will suffer pain and stiffness in his neck for the rest of his life after the attack.
He currently takes 18 painkillers every day, including prescription-only drug Tramadol.
After the attack in April, Mr Bowes spent three months living with his sister as he was unable to look after himself.
Mr Bowes said he has been told Hamed, 31, has been warned to expect a jail term of four years.
He said: "If that is what he gets, he will be out in two years. I have been given a life sentence of pain. The doctors said I was very lucky to even be alive and not be paralysed.
"I hope when he is in jail he suffers, like I will have to for the rest of my life.
"My neck is very stiff and I can't turn it. I often can't get out of bed and when I do I have to do it really slowly."
Mr Bowes said he believes taxi drivers should undergo stricter tests before being licensed by Hull City Council.
"There should be better vetting for taxi drivers before they allowed to have a black cab," he said.
"This man didn't know his way around, he couldn't understand us very well and he had a metal bar in his taxi."
Hamed, of New George Street, west Hull, will be sentenced next month at Hull Crown Court.
Keith Fenner, Hull City Council's licensing manager, said: "Mr Hamed does not currently have a taxi driver licence as it was suspended pending the conclusion of the prosecution.
"We can confirm Mr Hamed has not applied for it to be renewed for the current year."
Comments
by hamshawj
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 3:18PM
“I think that wrongly taxi drivers have bad press it is just one out of thosands that is bad.”
by Owain55
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 2:54PM
“@flogget Friday, September 14 2012, 10:08PM. What a thoroughly well thought out and reasoned answer. The Philosopher's Guild are at this minute drafting a letter to welcome you to their ranks. Huzzah!”
by Owain55
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 2:50PM
“@harryoffdock. In no way am I a leftie liberal. If it's of any relevance at all I'm slightly right of centre. It may come as a huge surprise to you but Britain has ALWAYS been a multicultural society. Where do you think the Jewish refugees form the pogroms in Russia during the late 19th century came? Here! Where did the Hugenouts fleeing French persecution in the 17th/18th centuries come? Here. Immigrants both political and 'economic' have been coming to and settling in Britain and making it a better place since way before the people from the Caribbean in the 50's, the sub Continent in the 60's and east Africa in the 70's. It's happening and hopefully will continue to do so and make this country even better.To use your words, "get over it".”
by bewildered1
Sunday, September 16 2012, 8:16PM
“Black cabs are sometimes working for 828282 and a new firm called KingstonKabs.”
by Anon_Geoff
Sunday, September 16 2012, 10:23AM
“LordChez - I could pass a CRB test, get a taxi and give you a ride.
If an argument started and I clobbered you all the checks in the world would not stop it. This applies to everything in life.
There is no guarantee that your driver will be "honky dory". Cos that is racialist.
In general though... This story leads to more questions than answers. Sometimes violence happens for very little reason, but usually when drugs/drink are involved. The charge itself sounds like a compromise. 'Admit to this and let the race element slide, and we won't push for a harsher charge/sentence'”
by Janne
Sunday, September 16 2012, 9:18AM
“Mr Bowes are you sure what you saying? I don't believe taxi driver hurt his passenger . You are not hunts what you are saying probably you are the one attacked him and he defend him self beside you did not pay him because he was different rise I thing”
by Janne
Sunday, September 16 2012, 8:55AM
“we seen people like you doing worse for money. you want to accuse taxi driver and you put him in jail to get money from government. open your eyes man
Judge is not listen to you ,don't rune peoples life for money go work is better for you any one can get report from his family Dr and tell what you told us in the newspapires
you should be in jail not the text driver because you want to abuse a system. you are a resist”
by flogget
Friday, September 14 2012, 10:08PM
“Pishtiwan Hamed hope u get a long time in jail and ur head booted in every day u allaha scumbag snake. deport this scumbag immediatley”
by honestcomment
Friday, September 14 2012, 7:55PM
“@ flogget
Highly unlikely mate, if it were the other way round it would be a certainty, still they got to get him to court first!”
by harryoffdock2
Friday, September 14 2012, 6:44PM
“owain55,
Clutching at straws there pal. Not everyone shares your view of a multicultural Britain, I know you liberal lefties find this hard to accept, but it's true. Get over it.”