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Man charged after taxi driver racially abused and vehicle stolen in Barnsley
South Yorkshire Police said officers were called in the early evening on Saturday, 24 October, after a report that a man had stolen a taxi following an alleged racial abuse incident.
Barnsley South neighbourhood officers attended Tesco on Wombwell Road to obtain witness statements and CCTV footage. Police said the footage showed the man arriving in his own vehicle before going to the customer service desk and claiming he had run out of diesel.
He then called for a taxi. When it arrived, the man allegedly approached the vehicle, assaulted the driver and shouted racist remarks, police said.
The driver got out of the taxi, after which the man allegedly took the driver’s seat and drove away with the vehicle.
The driver suffered minor injuries, according to police.
Officers said CCTV helped them identify the man, who was arrested and later charged with racially or religiously aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm, robbery, and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
He has been remanded in custody until his next hearing at Sheffield Crown Court on 23 November.
