"I grabbed him to try and get him to stop, but he punched me"
An Uber driver claimed he was the victim of a racially motivated attack whilst completing a trip.
Mohammed Hamza Malik picked up a man and woman in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, at around 9 pm on October 18, 2024.
However, he was allegedly subjected to a “tirade” of verbal abuse before being attacked by the male.
Mohammed claimed one of the suspects “grabbed” his phone before exiting the cab chanting “bloody p***, come out and fight with me”.
Warwickshire Police confirmed it was investigating the incident after two suspects “fled the scene” before police arrived.
Mohammed said the attack stemmed from the couple “demanding” to be dropped off elsewhere just moments before they were due to reach their original destination.
When he refused, they became “aggressive”.
The Uber driver said: “The moment I started the journey, they were very rude, but because it was a long journey, I kept quiet and just left it.
“When the ride was about to finish, the man told me to drop him somewhere else.
“I explained to him that I had to drop him at the location on the app, and that I wasn’t authorised to drop him anywhere else.
“He started swearing at me and getting very aggressive. I stopped the car and told him to leave, but he kept swearing at me.
“Suddenly he grabbed my phone and got out of the car. He was chanting, ‘Bloody ****, come out and fight with me’.
“I followed them in my car from a safe distance, telling him to give me my phone back. We got to an alleyway when he suddenly punched me on my nose through the window.
“I grabbed him to try and get him to stop, but he punched me again. As I tried to reverse away from him he turned my steering wheel so the car went into a fence.
“He threw my phone in the car and walked away.”
The incident left him with “serious” facial injuries and also caused damage to his car, meaning he cannot work.
He told Birmingham Mail: “I’ve got bruises on my forehead, my eyes, my nose and lips.
“I was covered in blood – I’m in a lot of pain. My car is also damaged so I can’t work.”
“I hope the police find the man responsible. I drive for Uber to make a living for my family, I don’t go out to get beaten. My four-year-old son is very upset and confused about this.”
A Warwickshire Police spokesperson said: “At approximately 9:30 pm on Friday, October 18, officers were called to reports of a man being assaulted by a male and female on Oakridge Road in Leamington.
“The victim had reportedly been called to provide transport to the two suspects, who, following the assault, fled the scene before police arrival.
“If anyone witnessed what happened or has information that could help with our investigation, contact us citing Incident 364 of 18 October.”
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