Attack on taxi man was seen on CCTV

Adam Rock, of Wensleydale Drive, Blackpole, had got into an argument with the partner of his ex-girlfriend in October last year in St Nicholas Street, Worcester, after he saw the man’s taxi.

Adrian Jones, prosecuting at Worcester Magistrates Court, said Rock approached the taxi driver and spat in his face, before asking: “What is it going to take for me to see my son?”

To which the man responded: “When you pay the back payments of child maintenance.”

The 26-year-old then asked how much that was, and was told about £5,000, at which stage the taxi driver tried to get back into his car.

The CCTV footage then shows Rock lean over into the taxi and punch the driver with so much force the driver ended up lying on the passenger seat.

The man, who could not remember driving home after the incident, lost a tooth, had cuts in his mouth and a bruise on his jaw.

The CCTV then follows Rock and a friend as they run from the scene, eventually showing him mimicking the way he had punched the driver.

Sam Lamsdale, defending, said: “In his interview, he said the man had spat at him first. My client lost his temper when he was asked for £5,000 back-payments, which he understood to be blackmail.”

Miss Lamsdale said there were long running tensions between the two men.

Rock also claimed the victim would turn up in places where he knew he would be, just to wind him up.

On this occasion, though, Rock had had a few drinks and reacted without thinking.

Miss Lamsdale also said Rock’s ex-partner had said in the past she would be happy for him to see their five-year-old, but it is her new partner who is preventing it.

Rock pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was sentenced to a 12-month supervision order with 80 hours’ unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay compensation of £200, costs of £85 and attend an enhanced thinking course to help with his anger issues.

Your Worcester News was the only member of the media to attend this hearing.