Man arrested over Kings Heath attack on taxi driver in his 80s

A man has been arrested after a taxi driver in his 80s was attacked and left with serious facial injuries.

Hukum Dad was attacked in his vehicle in Kings Heath, Birmingham, on 23 November.

West Midlands Police confirmed a 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault over the weekend. He has been released on bail with strict conditions as the investigation continues.

An online fundraiser set up by local taxi drivers for the victim has raised more than £2,500.

Police said he was repeatedly punched by a passenger on the High Street at about 16:15 GMT.

Mr Dad told the BBC: “My glasses were broke. Blood was coming out.”

He said he was touched that members of the local community, including some he did not know, had been raising money for him.

Fellow taxi driver Carl Wilson was behind the appeal.

He said: “A few of the guys encouraged me, said ‘yeah, let’s do it’, so I started it up, a GoFundMe, and it’s just snowballed from there.

“It’s not a safe industry. It’s a bit safer now it’s more cashless, but you never know who you’re picking up sometimes.”

Community activist Naveed Sadiq said: “Uncle said that he doesn’t need the money, but the gesture would go a long way.

“So what we’re going to be doing is close to uncle’s heart… children. So a lot of the funds will be, we go 50:50 – we’ll give it to the children’s hospital, as well as children in Palestine.”