Taxi driver beaten by drunk passenger

A 27 year-old man has been arrested and charged with assault after a Whangarei taxi driver was bashed by a drunk passenger on Saturday night.

Richard Watts, 71, has been put off work for 45 days and is nursing a black eye.

He told the Northern Advocate he had picked up a man who "looked like he'd had a few" from Whangarei's Rathbone St taxi rank about 8.45pm to drive him to Tikipunga.

"He got in the front and didn't say anything. While I was on my way to Tikipunga he vomited all over the inside of my taxi."

Mr Watts, a driver with A1 Cabs, stopped the vehicle and asked the man to get out so he could clean it.

"But he went bonkers and started beating me."

The man pulled Mr Watts' shirt over his head so his arms were trapped and beat him in the face and body with his fists.

"While I was lying on the footpath he booted me in the head as well. I managed to pull my hand-held radio off my belt and call for help while he was still kicking me."

Another taxi heard Mr Watts' plea and went to his assistance.

Five men in the other taxi pulled the man off Mr Watts before police arrived and arrested him.

A 27-year-old Tikipunga man has been charged with assault with intent to injure and has been bailed until April 6.

Mr Watts was treated in hospital for bruises to his face, the side of his head and ribs.

- NZPA