Taxi driver severely beaten up with brass knuckles by drunk passenger

The taxi driver says he was beaten up for no reason for seven minutes straight

The young man was picked up at 4am from the Valletta police station
The young man was picked up at 4am from the Valletta police station

A taxi driver said he was severely beaten up by a passenger with brass knuckles in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The driver, Joseph De Celis, said he picked up a young man from the Valletta police station at around 4am on Wednesday.

“During the ride, the young man started smoking and put up his feet on the dashboard. I did not tell him anything as he was heavily intoxicated and I was concerned,” wrote De Celis on Facebook.

“Whilst I was driving with my seatbelt on, he unlocked his and started beating me up with brass knuckles […] He kept going at it for seven minutes straight and all I could do was to sound the horn for help, whilst he kept attacking me for no reason.”

Graphic photos of the driver, Joseph De Celis, with blood all over his face and shirt were published online.

Police confirmed that the alleged aggressor, a 19-year-old English man from Mellieħa was arrested in connection to the case.

A police spokesperson said that prior to the aggression, the man had been spotted visibly drunk at Strada Stretta and had been taken to the Valletta police station at around 2.30am.

The police had managed to calm the man down and he was subsequently released. He subsequently booked a taxi through a ride-hailing up and was picked up from the police station.

Police are now investigating the alleged aggression and the man will be arraigned in front of magistrate Lara Lanfranco on Thursday at around noon.