Man Jailed for Two Years After Racially Aggravated Attack on Dartford Taxi Driver

A man has been jailed for more than two years after a racially aggravated attack on a taxi driver in Dartford following a minor road collision.

Kent Police said the incident happened on Crossways Boulevard on 15 January 2025 after a taxi and a Peugeot were involved in a minor collision. Both vehicles stopped and the drivers began exchanging details.

Police said Oliver Dryden, who had been a front-seat passenger in the Peugeot, got out and attacked the taxi driver. The victim was punched in the chest, face and jaw while being subjected to racist abuse.

As the taxi driver tried to return to his vehicle, Dryden dragged him to the ground before kicking him in the face and stamping on his head multiple times. Members of the public attempted to intervene, and police said Dryden also threw an object at the taxi and punched a window before leaving the scene.

Officers located Dryden in a pub in Bromley on 22 January 2025 and arrested him. He was later charged with racially aggravated assault, racially aggravated criminal damage and affray.

Dryden pleaded guilty to the offences at an earlier hearing. At Maidstone Crown Court on 11 August 2026, he was sentenced to two years and three months in prison.

The case highlights the risks taxi and private hire drivers can face while working in public-facing roles. In this case, the attack followed a minor collision rather than a passenger dispute, and the court process has now concluded with guilty pleas and a custodial sentence.

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