Taxi driver hospitalised after attack by six people in Kilkenny City centre

A taxi driver was violently assaulted in Kilkenny city centre in the early hours of Tuesday morning and received medical treatment in hospital.

Shortly after midnight a taxi was flagged down on John Street by six people. The driver told the people that he was unable to take the fare and then a group of three men and three women began kicking the taxi.

The driver, who is in his forties and living in Kilkenny City, drove away and stopped further down John Street where he exited the vehicle to assess the damage caused to the car.

When the taxi driver was outside his vehicle he was set up and attacked by a number of people.

In the vicious assault he was kicked to the head a number of times and was brought by ambulance to St Luke’s Hospital where he was treated for his injuries including a laceration to his face, swelling to his head and a suspected fractured jaw.

Gardaí are investigating the incident and are trawling through CCTV footage from the area. A number of witnesses have come forward and Gardaí are appealing to anyone who was in the vicinity at the time to come forward.

"This was a particularly violent and unprovoked attack where a man sustained serious injuries in the course of doing his job. We are appealing to anyone with information to contact the gardaí on (056) 777 5000," a Garda spokesperson said.