Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
More readers than the rest put together! 14 MAY 2013 | <strong>TAXI</strong> 5<br />
FEATURE<br />
NOT A ROUTINE FILL UP<br />
Despite being abused, attacked and doused in diesel, Redha Guemmane was the subject<br />
of a police investigation and tells <strong>TAXI</strong> how he was saved by the LTDA’s legal team<br />
I pulled into the Shell Service Station<br />
in Balham Hill to fill up with derv, at<br />
about 11am in the morning, on<br />
November 2 last year. Two pumps<br />
were out of action so a queue had<br />
formed. I eventually manoeuvred<br />
my cab on the filler cap side of the<br />
pump, and a white van pulled in<br />
behind me. I went in to pay, and<br />
suddenly realised that I’d left my<br />
money bag in the boot. I apologised<br />
to the cashier, who knows me<br />
because I’m a regular there, and<br />
went back to get some money. I paid<br />
up and returned to face a tirade of<br />
abuse from the van driver. I<br />
explained what had happened,<br />
which was pretty obvious anyway,<br />
but he wasn’t having any of it, and<br />
just continued with his abuse.<br />
I ignored him and got back into<br />
the cab, but the abuse continued, so I<br />
walked up to him and asked why it<br />
was such a big problem, but he just<br />
swung a punch and hit me in the left<br />
eye. I returned the punch and<br />
knocked him down. He got up and<br />
started spraying diesel on me.<br />
Another motorist jumped in and<br />
shouted at him to stop before he set<br />
us all on fire, which seemed to calm<br />
him down.<br />
Nightmare begins<br />
Later that day I decided to go to the<br />
police at Lavender Hill, who noted<br />
everything down and gave me a<br />
crime number. A few days later I was<br />
contacted by a detective constable,<br />
who asked me to attend<br />
Wandsworth police station.<br />
When I arrived, I was arrested<br />
photographed, DNA’d,<br />
fingerprinted, detained in a cell for<br />
two and a half hours and charged<br />
with ABH!<br />
My case was taken up by John<br />
Luckhurst, one of the LTDA’s legal<br />
team. John went to the trouble of<br />
visiting the Shell garage, and<br />
checking out their CCTV. He also<br />
made enquiries at other nearby<br />
premises, including a pub. A return<br />
visit to the police station was<br />
then arranged, but this time with<br />
LTDA representation.<br />
“THE WAY I WAS DEALT<br />
WITH BY THE LTDA WAS<br />
BRILLIANT FROM START<br />
TO FINISH<br />
”<br />
To cut a long story short, the<br />
LTDA eventually got the case<br />
against me dropped. The way I was<br />
dealt with by the LTDA was brilliant<br />
from start to finish. I was amazed<br />
that John Luckhurst went to the<br />
trouble of visiting the scene of the<br />
incident and checking nearby for<br />
witnesses. If any driver is not a<br />
member of the LTDA then I suggest<br />
that you join up immediately,<br />
because you never know what’s<br />
around the corner. n<br />
SUPPORT OUR DRIVERS<br />
The LTDA will pay the out of<br />
pocket expenses and<br />
compensate for lost time, any<br />
drivers (members<br />
or not) who attend<br />
court to give<br />
evidence on<br />
behalf of an<br />
LTDA member<br />
“Any driver who is not an LTDA member should join immediately”<br />
Image: By pixelhut (Chris Guy) via Flickr<br />
“I explained what had happened, but he wasn’t having any of it”
Change language