British couple’s altercation with cabbie ends up in court

The British salesman and the Pakistani driver each claimed they had been assaulted by the other.

DUBAI // A taxi driver and his British passenger have each told a court they were assaulted by the other.

On November 23 last year, salesman F D, 34, and his wife C D, 30, got into a taxi at a hotel after leaving a hotel nightclub.

The driver, Pakistani F S, 30, told the Court of Misdemeanours that the two appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.

“I informed them that they needed to wait in line at which point the husband punched me,” he said.

F D said he had been assaulted by the taxi driver.

“The taxi had its lights on, which meant it’s not occupied,” he said. “We got in it and the driver then opened the back door where we sat and punched me to my head and dragged me out of the taxi.”

His wife supported her husband’s story. She also admitted that she had drunk four glasses of wine in the club.

Neither party was charged with assault but the British couple were charged with drinking alcohol without a licence, for which they were each fined Dh1,000.