THE taxi driver accused of stealing David Lammy’s luggage has been acquitted on all charges.
Cabbie Nassim Mimun, 40, became embroiled in a bitter public feud with Lammy back in April over alleged unpaid taxi fares, theft claims and fiery French insults.
Mimun was facing up to three years in prison when he went on trial at the Bonneville Criminal Court, in eastern France, on Monday.
He was accused of taking property belonging to Deputy Prime Minister Lammy, 53, and his wife, Nicola Green, also 53.
Mimun had taken the couple on a 370-mile journey through the Alps in April where he alleged Lammy “acted like a thug” after telling him he wanted to be paid.
The French chauffeur told The Sun: “When he [Lammy] got out of the vehicle, he said, ‘f***ing French, f***ing French’. I was afraid.”
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Lammy, who was the Foreign Secretary at the time, said he “totally refutes” the allegations and insists the fare was paid in full.
Mimum, a father-of-one, was even banned from driving over the allegations.
This meant he has no access to his usual income while under investigation.
This had a huge impact on his family as Mimun lives with his mother and younger sister.
Each month he said he gives them up to 200 euros to help out with rent.
His nightmare few months were finally ended today.
Prosecutors requested an eight-month suspended prison sentence for Mimun following a morning hearing.
He escaped any major punishment over “fraudulently removing luggage and cash”.
Judges instead ruled that there was zero proof that Mimun “intended to keep the goods,” and so he was discharged.
The defendant said he was “delighted” that his “fight for justice” succeeded.
“This minister is attacking a humble French taxi driver who was simply doing his job,’”said Mimun.
The French cabbie had always denied any wrongdoing.
He claimed that while he did drive off with the couple’s suitcase and their cash he never intentionally left the scene knowing he still had their belongings.
JOURNEY FROM HELL
Lammy and his wife Green had been in Italy for the King’s state visit before going away for a private holiday together to the Alps.
But the long and tiresome journey severely disrupted their relaxing getaway before it had even started.
Mimun claimed that Green began screaming at him after saying she wanted to sit in the front during the 362 mile overnight trip.
She “had a crazy meltdown” and tried to open the door on the motorway during a row over the taxi fare, a French court heard.
He told the court: “His wife had a crazy meltdown. It was mental. She was sitting at the back behind me and she tried to open the door on the motorway.
“She was trying to open the door, and I kept telling her two minutes, at which point I had to stop her from trying to open the door by reaching back by opening my window.
“She wanted to get out and sit at the front. She was screaming at me.”
The judge called this account “surprising”.
Mr Mimun told the court that when he made it to the hotel, he asked Lammy for a payment.
The card machine failed, and at that point he claimed the then-Foreign Secretary snatched the receipt before saying “f***ing French”.
Prosecutors also claimed Ms Green saw a knife in the car, which was refuted by Mimun.
No weapon was ever recovered by authorities.
How the taxi row blew up
THE Sun’s revelation that Foreign Secretary David Lammy had been involved in a furious row with a driver over a taxi fare has made headlines worldwide. Here are the key dates:
APRIL 10: Foreign Secretary David Lammy and his wife Nicola are collected from Forsi, Italy, at 5pm ahead of a six-hour taxi drive to Flaine.
Driver Nisim Mimun demands an extra 700 euros (£590) because he was not forewarned they were high-risk individuals.
APRIL 11: After arriving and rowing over the fare, Mr Mimun claims he went to the nearest police station to report the incident.
He drove off with the couple’s luggage and cash, but claims he realised only when he got to the police station. The luggage was later returned. The Foreign Office claims it was only after an official contacted Mr Mimun about it.
APRIL 25: A bailiff demand was sent to Mr Lammy’s representatives demanding payment for the fare, plus legal charges.
MAY 6: Mr Mimun gives a statement to prosecutors claiming he was scared because Mr Lammy allegedly had a gun. A signed and dated statement shows Mr Mimun returned the luggage voluntarily.
MAY 14: News breaks that French prosecutors were investigating a claim that Mr Lammy and his wife refused to pay a fare worth almost £600.
They vehemently deny any wrongdoing and say the agreed fare was paid in full. It was revealed the driver had been charged with theft.
MAY 15: Mr Mimun shares pictures with The Sun, which he claims show rubbish left in the car by the Lammys. He also accuses Mr Lammy of being “a thug”, “a “liar” and saying “f***ing French”.
NOVEMBER 3: Mr Mimun is due to appear in court charged with theft.
Mimun later drove off after Ms Green and Mr Lammy had left the car, but the luggage was still in the boot.
Mimun added: “It was really violent in the car. [David Lammy] struck the back of the seat two times in aggression which left me frightened.
“I knew it was best for me to just leave, and that’s what I did.”
He even claimed that he has psychological trauma from the swearing.
He added: “I had two days straight of no sleep. I had a borderline coma, almost a black out.”
According to phone and location records, after the incident, during the early hours of 11 April, he had made his way to Grenoble, driving past Lyon.
He claimed he was trying to figure out what to do with the passengers’ luggage.
He explained that he contacted the Swiss police to report the incident and explain the facts, including his identity, the vehicle details and what had happened, before attempting to return the luggage to the proper authorities.
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