Taxi driver who was left with broken bones finally sees justice handed to his attackers

A taxi driver was brutally beaten by two thugs whilst working a late night shift in Burslem town centre. The victim was left motionless in the middle of the road after being repeatedly kicked and punched by Nikki Pollett and Nathan Hawkeswood. The whole incident was caught on CCTV. A court heard that a group approached the victims taxi as he waited outside the Clayhanger pub. CCTV footage showed the taxi driver step from his vehicle moments before Mr Hawkeswood appears to push him to the ground and kick him. Mr Pollett is then seen kicking the victim before repeatedly punching him while he lay defenceless on the ground. Footage then shows the two attackers walking off while their victim remained lying on the pavement. The two thugs were found and arrested a short time after the assault which took place at around 2am on November 26 of last year. The victim was left with fractures to his right eye socket, his nose and his left cheek bone, along with two broken teeth. A footprint mark was also left visible on his forehead. The taxi driver who had just recently had a newborn child with his wife was left in no fit condition to work or help her with the early upbringing of their child, according to a victim statement. Judge Paul Glenn sentenced both men at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court after they pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Pollett, who has a previous conviction for assault, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Hawkeswood, who had no previous convictions and had shown genuine regret and remorse, was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, with a 35-day rehabilitation activity requirement. He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £3,000 compensation to be paid off monthly.