10:50am Monday 31st December 2007
By Anita Patterson
A NIGHTCLUBBER was "left for dead" on the side of a road after being brutally beaten up by a taxi driver in a violent and bizarre attack.
Police say trouble erupted when the cabbie discovered his passenger didn't have enough money to pay his fare, after being driven from Basildon's Festival Leisure Park to his home in Laindon.
The disgruntled driver originally said he would return the victim to where he was picked up.
Then he decided to drop him off in Chester Hall Lane, Basildon.
Police say a brief scuffle then broke out between the customer and driver, before a second taxi pulled up.
They were told the passenger was then attacked by the driver of the second cab - and at least one of its passengers.
The man, suffered a gash to his head, a fractured cheekbone and lost several teeth. He was knocked unconscious, then dragged to the side of the road.
In a final act of humiliation, the attackers are said to have pulled down the injured man's trousers and driven off.
Investigating officer Det Con Sarah Notley, of Pitsea CID, said: "It was a particularly nasty attack and the victim was effectively left for dead on the side of the road.
"He was covered in blood.
"We think some kind of weapon was used but we are not sure yet. At the moment we think the first taxi driver may have phoned his mate, said we have someone who can't pay their fare' and he arranged to meet him."
Det Con Notley said she believed there were other people in the back of the second taxi and she urged them to come forward. She also appealed to anyone who knew the driver involved in the attack, at 3am on December 15, to contact police on 01268 244 037.
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