A taxi driver has spoken of his ordeal after a group of thugs beat him up after a brief row over their fare.
39 year-old Imram Shah collected a group of two females and three males in his six-seater from O'Connell Street at approximately 3am on Saturday morning, despite his wish to head home as his shift was finishing.
The group jumped in the taxi with food and drink, which Shah allowed on the condition that they did not spill any in his taxi.
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According to Imram, the first girl got out at Carysfort Avenue, Blackrock, while the second got out on the Ballyogan Road. It was shortly after this that the trouble started.
He said: "One of them was holding €50, and I asked him for it, just as an assurance, as the fare was already €41. Suddenly one of them jumped from the back towards the front and spilled the coke and food everywhere.
"I got a big fright and switched off the engine and got out. I was talking to one of them and I said to him that I let them do what they wanted, blaring music and eating in the car. All of a sudden, I got hit full force between my ear and eye.
"Another one then hit me full force on the neck, and I fell back against my taxi, and was unconscious."
When Imram woke up, the ruffians were gone, and he was in extreme pain.
His first thought was to head home to his four young children, saying: "I had a terrible pain in my forehead, and my fingers were badly cut from falling onto the pavement. The first thing I thought about were my kids, all under six years old, and I needed to get home. They left me for dead there.
"I couldn't really think properly as it took me a few minutes to regain my memory of the five guys. Then I got back into the taxi and drove off as I feared they might return back for me.
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After a visit to the GP the next day, fears of broken bones were allayed as the doctor confirmed they were bad injuries, but no breaks.
Imram plans to continue to serve his community, getting people home safely, despite the cowardly attack.
