An Aberystwyth taxi driver was left with a black eye after he was assaulted by a fare dodger.

Richard Emyr Jones, 43, was assaulted after a customer refused to pay for a £30 trip from Aberystwyth station to Borth on 11 August.

After arriving at the end of the requested road at half past midnight, the man forced his fingers into Emyr’s mouth before punching him and running from the vehicle.

Emyr is the second driver to be assaulted in Aberystwyth within 10 days, after another driver was attacked on the night of 2 August for refusing to drive to Shrewsbury.

The Ows Cabs driver, 43, from Bow Street said this was his first physical assault in his 26 years as a taxi driver: “He put his fingers in my mouth and tried to gorge my mouth open.

“When I bit him he sprang up and gave me a black eye and broke my glasses.

“I couldn’t defend myself.

“I didn’t follow him in case he was armed or it was a lure to rob me.”

Despite calling the police none attended the scene and the case was closed after no witnesses were found, no CCTV footage at Aberystwyth station and no cameras in Emyr’s car.

Emyr spent eight hours calling 101 to give a statement, but no one picked up the phone.

Emyr said as a taxi driver licensed by Ceredigion County Council he’s not allowed to install CCTV or dash cameras in his vehicle, but has since pleaded with them to reconsider: “I’ve been assaulted but the police and council reckon it's fine.

“Taxis up and down the country have CCTV in their cars.

“I’d be willing to go and buy a dashcam myself, it would keep drivers and passengers safe.

“When we go to work as drivers, we want to go in safe and we want to come home safe.

“I’m more conscious of people now, I have to ask for money upfront and some customers don’t like that.

“I feel like I’ve been let down by the police - with no footage, it’s my word against theirs.”

He was told the council would consider it.

A Ceredigion County Council spokesperson said they couldn’t comment on individual cases but that “there is nothing contained in our licensing policy which prevents vehicle proprietors installing CCTV recording equipment in their vehicles, providing it meets the guidance set by the information commissioner’s office”.

This comes 10 days after two people violently assaulted a 7s Taxi’s driver after they refused to drive to Shrewsbury from north Aberystwyth.

The driver suffered from injuries to the face, head and thumb.

Police received a report of disorder on Great Darkgate Street at 2am on 3 August.

A Dyfed-Powys police spokesperson said: “One man, aged 22, from the Shrewsbury area, was arrested on suspicion of assault and attempted robbery.

“One man, aged 21, from the Shrewsbury area, was arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage.

Both men have been released on bail until October. Enquiries are ongoing.”

The company declined to comment but described it as “very serious” and that the police investigation was ongoing.

Regarding Emyr’s case, a police spokesperson said: “All lines of enquiry for this incident have now been completed with no suspect identified.

“Should further evidence/information come to light then this case can be reopened and investigated further.

“If the victim is unhappy with the response they received, we invite them to provide feedback through our official reporting channels.”