Sunderland man battered Uber driver in 'racist' attack - after breaking windscreen with his fist

A badly injured Uber driver had to flee his own car after a violent "racist" attack by a passenger who smashed his windscreen. 

The victim had been asked to pick up Lucas Jones in Sunderland and take him to Newcastle in the early hours of May 25, 2023. 

Newcastle Crown Court the 15-mile journey had barely began when the cabbie had to leave the car with two black eyes, his nose broken in two places, three teeth punched out, a cracked jaw and needing seven stitches to his face. 

Jones, 27, of Tanfield Road, Sunderland, who has previous convictions for violence, admitted causing grievous bodily harm and criminal damage and has been jailed for 31 months. 

Prosecutor Philip Morley told the court Jones appeared under the influence of drugs and alcohol when he got into the vehicle and began being racially abusive to the driver, calling him "p***" and similar slurs. 

Mr Morley added: "His erratic behaviour continued with him punching the taxi windscreen, causing it to break."

The court heard Jones then punched the cabbie and caused him to almost lose control of his car. 

Mr Morley said: "He could feel blood on his face at this point.

"The defendant continued with his ill-treatment of the driver, complaining he was going the wrong way."

The court heard the victim was punched repeatedly until he eventually had to run out of the car. 

Jones initially chased the driver but then pursued his partner instead when she left the vehicle. 

The driver said in his statement: "I just got back into my car and drove to a nearby housing estate and called the police."

The court heard the driver was taken to hospital by ambulance. 

He said in an impact statement: "When the incident occurred, I felt rubbish. This was because I didn't argue or anything, it was just racism from the male.  "He assaulted me because he was racist, and I did nothing wrong. I didn't deserve to be assaulted like that."

The court heard the driver cut his working hours after the attack as he struggled with concentration, which caused financial problems for his family. 

He struggled to sleep and suffered nightmares when he did. 

The cabbie added: "I am destroyed because of this incident, it has really turned my life upside down."

The court heard Jones confessed he had taken a large amount of alcohol and cocaine. 

Glenn Gatland, defending, said Jones, who has a good employment record, was "hard working but similarly very hard playing" at the time. 

Mr Gatland said Jones has had time to reflect on his behaviour on remand, where he is on a drink and drug-free wing, and appears to have matured and is remorseful. 

The court heard Jones and his partner had planned to spend the night in a hotel in Newcastle that evening. 

Mr Gatland said the words Jones used were said in "anger" rather than being the principle motivation for the attack and added: "The defendant was cross with his partner, not the taxi driver to start with."