Taxi Driver Clubs Passengers with Baseball Bat...

A TAXI driver beat up two customers with a baseball bat in two separate incidents, a court heard.

Amran Khan is alleged to have assaulted Phillip Booth on February 23 last year.
He is also accused of causing grievous bodily harm to Adrian Dubiel with intent on June 15 and inflicting grievous bodily harm to Mr Dubiel on the same day.
The 31-year-old, of Rushton Road, Cobridge, denies all three charges.
Prosecutor Paul Spratt told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday that Mr Booth went to the taxi rank in High Street, Newcastle, at 2.15am on February 23.

Mr Spratt said: "He told the driver he wanted to go to Gillow Heath, Biddulph, and agreed a £20 fee. He paid the money before the journey started.
"When he came to get out, the defendant wanted an additional sum of money. Mr Booth said they had agreed £20. The defendant produced a weapon. He got out and went around to the passenger's side.
"Mr Booth says he was struck a number of times with a weapon."
The court heard Mr Booth, who was left with bruising, noted the taxi's registration number as MJ03 OBA.

"The defendant is the registered keeper of the vehicle with that registration number," said Mr Spratt.
Khan, who drives for Middleport-based Magnum Taxis, was interviewed and told police he is the owner of the vehicle but said he was not driving at the time.
In the second alleged incident, the court heard Mr Dubiel had been getting a taxi home from Newcastle at about 2am.
"He got in the taxi and simply said 'Madeley tenner'," said Mr Spratt.
"The defendant said, 'I will show you a ride for a tenner' and drove in the opposite direction to Madeley.

"The taxi pulled into a side road and stopped. Mr Dubiel got out. It is said the defendant got out and hit him once to the back of the head and once to the back."
The court heard Mr Dubiel was bleeding heavily but still managed to note the taxi's registration number and the name of the firm on his mobile phone. He typed 'MG03 OBA Magnum'.
Mr Dubiel had a depressed fracture of the skull and was in hospital for six days.
Mr Spratt said: "The records of the taxi business were investigated and showed the defendant was working until gone 3am.

"The prosecution case is that this is the same taxi and the same defendant."
Mr Booth, who picked Khan out at a video identification parade, said: "He produced a rounders bat from under his seat. We were both outside when the bat comes across my chest four or five times.

"The driver got back in the taxi. He put his car in reverse and tried to run me over. He reversed at very high speed. I was able to get out of the way."
Mr Dubiel, who did not pick out Khan, told the jury: "He pulled over and stopped. My intention was to walk back towards Newcastle when I was struck to the back of the head. I went down and was struck again to the back and ribs.

"I looked around to see what happened and saw the driver of the taxi walking back to the car with a white or silver baseball bat."
The trial continues