Two men come forward after road-rage attack on cabbie in Bournemouth

Two people have come forward following an appeal in relation to a reported road rage incident in Bournemouth.

The incident began at around 1.30am on Thursday 21 February 2019 at the Somerford roundabout in Christchurch and involved a taxi driver who was reportedly followed by two people in an Audi TT. 

It was reported that after the taxi had stopped at traffic lights near the Hilton Hotel in Exeter Road, the occupants of the Audi TT got out and punched and kicked the driver’s door and window and smashed the windscreen.

Following an image appeal issued by police, a 17-year-old boy and 24-year-old man, both from Lymington in Hampshire, have come forward and are assisting officers with their enquiries. No arrests have been made at this stage.  

Police had initially released dashcam footage of one of the Audi's occupants climbing on the bonnet of the taxi, a Black Seat Toledo, and attacking it.

According to the cab driver, it is believed that the incident had occured because the Audi driver may have thought he had been cut up by the cabbie as the both exited Somerford Roundabout, leading towards Highcliffe.

A chase ensued, and at one point the Audi driver gestured to the cabbie to pull over, however the victim of the attack didn't do this.

The Audi driver then chased the taxi to Highcliffe, where one of the occupants got out of the vehicle and started attacking the cab.

The cabbie, fearing for his safety, drove back to Bournemouth so as to avoid the Audi occupants discovering his home address. 

The Audi then chased the taxi to Bournemouth town centre, where the cabbie had to stop at a set of traffic lights near the Hilton Hotel in Exeter Road. The Audi passenger then got out of the vehicle before diving onto the bonnet of the taxi, which drove a short distance before it stopped and the man got off.

The passenger then returned to the Audi and the taxi driver went to move off again but was forced to stop by the other car, which this time pulled across the front of the taxi to prevent the driver escaping from the attack. On this occasion both of the thugs then got out of the Audi and attacked the cab again, punching and kicking the driver’s door and window and smashing the windscreen. The shaken cabbie stayed inside his vehicle and called the police, the attackers then got back in the Audi and drove off.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police via dorset.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55190027258.