KEY POINTS:
A taxi driver who had been bashed, robbed and left for dead in the boot of his cab has no recollection of the attack - or anything else from the past seven years.
Waitara man Tony Brosnan, 49, was found in his taxi at Urenui School, north of
New Plymouth, early on January 23.
He was found after workers clearing the grounds saw the taxi with its roof light on parked in a carport near the school dental clinic.
It is thought Brosnan was locked in the boot for three hours and was close to running out of oxygen.
New Plymouth man Raymond Edwards, 28, faces charges arising from the attack. He appeared in New Plymouth District Court on Thursday and was remanded in custody without plea until March 5.
Egmont City Cabs owner Ted Cooper said Brosnan was recovering well in Taranaki Base Hospital, but had significant memory loss.
"I went to see him the other day and he's a hell of a lot better than he was. Physically he is fine but mentally he is not. Talking to him, his memory is back about seven years. He knows he used to drive cabs but he does not remember the attack."
Cooper said police had told Brosnan the details of the attack.
Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Coward said police had interviewed Brosnan.
"The information he gave us was helpful to a degree but a bit vague.
Members of Brosnan's family, including his daughter and former wife, were in court on Thursday.
They told media outside court they were relieved someone had been charged and were pleased Brosnan was recovering.
Cooper said Brosnan was also being supported by his son, grandson and parents.
It was the second time he had been attacked during the 4 years he had worked for Egmont City Cabs.
In January last year he was assaulted by a bottle-wielding thug while driving his taxi.
Brosnan said afterwards he would consider quitting if the attacks continued but this week told Cooper he was keen to return to work.
"He also said he wanted to come back and drive.
"He wants to start part-time and slowly build up to full-time.
"At this stage he has been given 100 days on ACC and then they will reassess him.
"But we will see. I don't know if he realises what he is saying.
"It's been really hard on him. And it's devastated us."
