Private Hire driver told by 999 operator to ask road rage maniac for his personal details during thr

A private hire driver, who was being confronted during a road rage incident by a threatening thug, was told during a 999 to ask the aggressive man for his personal details. PHV driver Nazar Abbas was approached by Russell Barnard, 28, who was swearing aggressively, after the pair hand a prang in their vehicles.

But when Mr Abbas called police to say Barnard was being aggressive, an officer suggested the he try again for his name although the maniac grabbed a knuckleduster from his vehicle and warned him: "F**** off, I'm not going to give my details - I'm going to smash your face instead." The victim had to lock himself in his private hire vehicle from fear of being attacked.

The court heard that an axe was also found in the footwell of Barnard’s Renault car by police who arrived at the scene. Prosecutor Lisa Boocock said: “Mr Abbas tried to exchange details with the defendant, who instead refused to do so and drove off to a nearby car park.

“Mr Abbas followed him into that car park and the two of them got out of the vehicles. But the defendant was very aggressive with Mr Abbas, who was he asking him for details for insurance purposes. “He told Mr Abbas to ‘f*** off and go away.” The private hire driver phoned the police and was told to ask Barnard again for his details.

But when he did, the defendant produced the knuckle duster, which he had on his right hand. As reported in the Mirror, Barnard refused to cooperate with police after they arrived at the scene in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, last October, The prosecutor added: “The defendant was placed into the back of a police car. “He was spoken to by the police and he refused to give the officer his details. He was discovered by way of checking the keeper details of the car. “Police recovered the knuckle duster and an axe on the footwell of the car. This is road rage without the assault.”

At Manchester’s Minshull Street crown court, Barnard, from Hale, admitted using threatening behaviour and possessing an offensive weapon. He was given a 12 months community order along with 100 hours of unpaid work.

His defence lawyer Hunter Gray said: “There is a diagnosis of a mental disorder which creates risk. “On this particular occasion he was emotionally very low. There is genuine remorse.’’ In a statement Mr Abbas said: “I felt very vulnerable and I now refuse to operate as a taxi driver in that area.”

Image: Source; Flickr

Image: Author; DPP Law