A mum has claimed a tax driver "shouted abuse" and ran after her 11-year-old son who fell in a ditch and broke his arm.
Leah Pond says Alfie collided with the taxi on his bike and was then chased along Pound Gardens, in Norton, Stoke. The youngster is then alleged to have fallen off his bike and into a ditch sustaining the broken arm that has required surgery as well cuts and bruises.
A Staffordshire Police statement said that the boy collided with the back of the taxi that was stationery although Leah and a witness have claimed that the taxi was reversing during the incident. It is then alleged by Leah that the 11-year-old tried to apologise to the driver who then grabbed him before he was able to wriggle free and ride off.
“The driver jumped out and grabbed hold of him. Alfie managed to get himself free and rode off. The taxi driver chased him, which resulted in Alfie hitting a ditch and breaking his arm. He has cuts, scrapes and bruises all over him," said Leah. The taxi driver then got back in his taxi and drove off, according to witnesses and the police statement.
Alfie was taken to hospital and received further treatment at the Royal Stoke University Hospital last Thursday, when he was placed under anaesthetic and had the broken bone readjusted. Leah says he must return to hospital this week, and that she has been told the bones may need to be pinned, requiring further surgery.
Leah alleged: “As the taxi driver was chasing him, these adults were shouting ‘leave him alone’. If that taxi driver had caught up to Alfie and got hold of him, what was he going to do to him?” A witness, who asked to remain anonymous, told StokeonTrentLive: “The taxi was reversing up the hill in a blind spot at the top of the street. You can’t see anything around that corner, because there’s a hedge in the way.
“The lad went into the back of the car, and stopped to apologise. But the taxi driver got out of the car and started chasing him down the street. He was really scared, the little lad.” Leah added: “He was shouting abuse at Alfie. Being 11 years old, and having a grown adult chasing him, he was scared, so he has shot off.
“Even if he had come back and checked Alfie was alright, that would have been a different matter, but he’s just got into his taxi and left.” The driver was described as black, of medium height, bald, wearing a black T-shirt, cream shorts and glasses.
A Staffordshire Police spokesperson said: “We were called at 6.50pm on Tuesday to reports a taxi driver chased a boy who had collided with the back of his stationary car. The collision happened between 6.35pm and 6.45pm in Pinfold Avenue. The driver drove off after he chased the boy. The boy was taken to hospital with a suspected broken wrist. We’re keen to speak to anyone who saw what happened or those with any CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage from the area at the time.” Anyone with information is asked to call Staffordshire Police on 101, quoting 581 of May 7, or by using Live Chat on the force's website. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.