Simmering tension between black cabs and minicabs

Simmering tension between black cabs and minicabs erupted in
violence when a cabbie had his teeth punched out by a rival,
the Old Bailey heard today Tuesday.

Black cab driver Guy Smith, 60, was attacked as he took
photographs of minicabs blocking taxi ranks late at night near
a top West End nightclub, The Hippodrome.

Shahzad Ali, 37, featured in some of the photos, which the
black cabbies hoped to use against their rivals.

Mr Smith claims Ali, a minicab driver, suddenly approached
him and, without any warning, provocation or justification,
punched him in the mouth.

The attack resulted in Mr Smith, from Fulham, losing most of
his teeth, said Mr Mark Tomassi, prosecuting.

Ali, of Stanford Road, Streatham, denies assaulting Mr Smith,
causing him actual bodily harm, on October 13 last year.

He claims he is the victim of mistaken identity and told
police he was nearby at the time of the attack but was not
involved.

The trial continues.

ENDS