A Bulgarian taxi driver was left bloodied after two passengers racially abused him and smashed a glass bottle over his head in a late night attack.
Andreev Andrey was smashed over the head and punched and kicked until he passed out in the early hours of Monday morning.
The shocking attack that left him bloodied and dazed was caught on his taxi’s dash-cam with the 35-year-old’s screams and pleas for help clearly heard.
Andreev needed stitches to a head wound and is so shaken by the assault that he fears he will have to quit his job.
Andreev Andrey, 35, was left covered in blood (left) after the brutal attack. The Norwich taxi driver (right, after he received stitches for a head wound) was assaulted on Monday morning
Until the attack he has been ferrying NHS workers around Norwich during the coronavirus crisis.
He told MailOnline: ’There was no reason for the men to attack me. I was just doing my job. This has really affected me mentally, and I not sure I can continue with the job.’
The brutal assault took place when two men – one called Rocky – telephoned ABC Taxis in Norwich, Norfolk, to order a ride.
Andreev picked up the two men, one white and the other black, at an address he had been sent by his firm that only accepts pick ups ordered by phone or on the internet.
He said: ’It was a short trip, but as soon as they got in the back they began harassing me. They heard my accent and began abusing me.
‘I told them to stop or I would not continue with the journey. But they just kept on being rude and abusive so I stopped the taxi and pressed a panic button to alert the controller.
‘I told them to get out of the taxi. I got out of the taxi, then one of them smashed me over the head with a bottle. I was on the ground and they began kicking and punching me. I couldn’t defend myself as I was on the floor.
‘I curled up to stop the blows hitting my head. One of them tried to get my watch and I was screaming at him to leave me alone.’
Andreev, who moved to the UK two years ago, passed out from the head injury and flurry of kicks and blows. When he came round the two men had fled.
He said: ‘When I got back in the taxi I looked in the mirror and saw blood pouring down my face.
Three men, pictured far right, can be briefly seen in the dash cam footage. During the two years he has worked for ABC, Andreev said he had never experienced such an assault
‘I knew I wasn’t far from the hospital so I drove myself to the emergency department.’
Hospital staff called police and Andreev was interviewed after having four stitches inserted in the head wound. He also had cuts on his face from glass shards.
Andreev was able to give police an exact address where he had picked up the two men and also offered his dash cam footage.
During the two years he has worked for ABC, the city’s largest taxi firm, Andreev said he had never experienced such an assault.
‘All through the coronavirus epidemic we have been taken nurses and NHS staff at a discount. I felt proud to be able to do my part.
‘It is a job that I enjoy, but now I wonder if I can go on. It has made me very nervous.
‘I am still in a lot of pain. I know the bruises will go down, but I still can’t believe someone would do this.
The shocking attack that left Andreev bloodied and dazed was caught on his taxi’s dash-cam, above, with the 35-year-old’s screams and pleas for help clearly heard in the audio
‘It was definitely racially motivated as they heard me and were abusing me because of it.’
Chris Harvey from ABC Taxis said: ’It is disgraceful that something like this can happen to one of our drivers who was only doing his job.
‘Fortunately these types of incidents are few and far between. We will cooperate fully with the police on this matter.’
A Norfolk Police spokesman said: ‘Police are investigating the assault of a taxi driver in Norwich.
‘It follows an incident on Colman Road in the early hours of Monday morning (15 June 2020) at about 1.10am when two passengers attacked the driver who had asked them to leave the taxi.
‘The driver, a man aged in his 30’s, was hit with a glass bottle which knocked him to the ground where he was punched and kicked.
‘The victim was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and suffered a cut lip, bruising and swelling.
‘Suspects fled the scene and enquiries are ongoing to trace those responsible.
‘Anyone with information should contact Norfolk Police on 101 quoting crime reference 36/38949/20.’