A TAXI firm owner, who claims he was subjected to a vicious two-minute assault in his office, is furious that his attacker escaped with a caution.
John Ahmed says he was beaten up in the early hours of March 3 as he sat behind his desk at cab company Cars 4 U in Braintree.
The 5ft 5in 59-year-old was also punched in the face in the taxi yard after he ran to get help from one of his drivers leaving him badly bruised and frightened.
He says he is "disgusted" that his assailant was let off with a caution and only questioned 12 days after the attack.
The news comes as Essex Police Chief Constable Jim Barker-McCardle said he was "staggered" that a burglar, who ransacked a house in Galleywood, escaped a criminal conviction.
"I'm obviously disgusted," said married father-of-four Mr Ahmed.
"I have never been assaulted in my life – it was terrifying and humiliating.
"I thought the police were there to protect people – if someone gets assaulted and they do nothing about it, how can we all feel safe?"
Mr Ahmed said his taxi firm, just off Chapel Hill, had received at least six abusive calls from the man during the evening of the incident.
He claims the man was convinced that his company had stolen his mobile phone after he left it in the back of a cab earlier that night.
But Mr Ahmed told him that he did not have his phone and that a different cab firm had actually taken him home that night.
"He then walked 20 minutes to our yard, walked straight into the office and started beating me up," claimed Mr Ahmed.
Grainy CCTV footage shows the man stride into the taxi yard at 3.52am.
For two minutes Mr Ahmed said he was punched in the head and body as he tried in vain to protect himself.
"It was like being in a boxing ring," add Mr Ahmed, who has lived in Braintree for 47 years.
Mr Ahmed then said he managed to get up from behind his desk and ran outside to alert his drivers.
CCTV footage shows that the pair emerged at 3.54am where an argument ensued. The film seems to show the man shoving Mr Ahmed four times in the chest before punching him in the head.
Mr Ahmed, who is also the chairman of the Braintree Taxi Association, claims the police only went to question the man 12 days after the incident – but says that only happened after he pestered them with phone calls.
"If one of my drivers gets assaulted what signal does this send them?" said Mr Ahmed.
An Essex Police spokesman told the Chronicle: "Essex Police conducted an investigation into this case and considered all the available information.
"The use of Police Cautions for cases involving assault is a Home Office-recognised method of disposal to deal quickly and simply with less serious offences and to divert offenders from appearing in the criminal courts.
"Before a caution is authorised the offender must admit the offence and consideration must be given to any previous offending history.
"Once a caution is authorised by a police inspector the matter is recorded on the Police National Computer and fingerprints and DNA samples are recorded.
"Essex Police will be making contact with the complainant to discuss this case with him."
