David Lammy shouted 'f***ing French' at taxi driver as he accused him of stealing luggage

David Lammy was accused of 'acting like a thug' in a French court (Image: Getty)

A self-styled ‘humble taxi driver’ who was accused of stealing luggage belonging to Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy was today acquitted on all charges.

Nassim Mimun, 40, 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 Mr Lammy, 53, and his wife, Nicola Green, also 53, following a 370-mile journey through the Alps in April.

Prosecutors requested an eight-month suspended prison sentence for Mr Mimun following a morning hearing, which Mr Lammy did not attend.

Judges instead ruled that there was zero proof that Mimun ‘intended to keep the goods,’ and so he was discharged. 

The defendant said he as ‘delighted’ that his ‘fight for justice’ succeeded after accusing Mr Lammy of confronting him aggressively. 

‘This minister is attacking a humble French taxi driver who was simply doing his job,’ said Mr Mimun, a Frenchman.

He was charged with ‘fraudulently removing luggage and cash’ – an offence punishable by up to three years in jail, and a fine equivalent to £39,000.

He denied any wrongdoing, and had been on bail equivlent to £1750 in his home city of Avignon for the past seven months.

Mimum, a father-of-one, has also been banned from driving, while under ‘judicial supervision’, meaning he had no income. 

He originally reported Mr Lammy for his aggressive behaviour – a claim that was dismissed by prosecutors.

Mr Lammy and his wife were picked up in Forli, near Bologna, on April 10th after attending a State Visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla to Italy, and were heading for a winter sports break in Flavin, France.

As they approached the ski resort, there was a row between them and Mimun over the fare, according to prosecution papers. 

‘Mr Mimun demanded an extra sum’ – equivalent to £600 – towards the end of the journey, which lasted six hours, the papers read. 

Mr Mimun said he wanted more money ‘for increased security,’ because he had a senior member of the British government in the back of his Ford Kuga.

At the time, Mr Lammy was Foreign Secretary, and Mimun insisted that the fare was paid in full. 

It was booked through Get Transfer, a Cyprus-based car company that organises taxis in some 180 countries. 

Mr Mimun said:  ‘Facing me is a powerful politician who still hasn’t paid me the €1,550 [£1360] owed. I haven’t received anything from GetTransfer either.’

Mimun continued: ‘There were no names of any of the passengers on the booking slip. Get Transfer just said my passengers were ordinary people.

‘I’d received a request from Get Transfer for a Mercedes S-Class for the trip, presumably because the client wanted an upgrade, but I didn’t have one.

‘The rate for an S-Class for ordinary people is 3500 euros per day, and for VIPs and government people it goes up to 5,100 euros per day. 

‘I requested an extra 700 euros for the Kuga, because I realised when they got in that they were VIPs. Their luggage made that clear. 

‘When I found out who Mr Lammy was, later on, I also realised that he had put my life in danger. There were no bodyguards or anything.

‘If I had been told he was a VIP representing a foreign  government, I would have had to declare my identity to the French embassy in Italy and Switzerland,’ said Mr Mimun. ‘Nobody told me they were VIPs, let alone part of the British government. 

‘When I dropped the couple off in France, and asked for the extra money, Mr Lammy lost it.’

Mimun claimed that at one point Lammy shouted: ‘Fucking French!’

Mimun said: ‘He was screaming and shouting, and slapped me twice on the back of the neck. 

‘He was acting like a thug. I’m currently being treated for a neck injury, and am extremely shaken by the ordeal. 

‘Because I was scared of Mr Lammy’s behaviour, I drove off from them. 

‘The doors of the car were open, and I had no idea their luggage was still in my car.

‘It was only when I got to the police station that I realised that the luggage was still there. 

‘It wasn’t stolen, I handed it to the police. Everything was handed over, including a briefcase with a code to open it.

‘There was a rolled up artwork, that lawyers told me was worth millions of euros.

‘I retain a document proving nothing was paid for the extra, and a copy is now with police and prosecutors.’

Officers found two diplomatic passports and two licence plates, as well as a coded briefcase, in the boot of the taxi, allowing them to formally identify Mr Lammy and his wife.

Mr Mimun also complained about Mr Lammy and his wife leaving his car ‘in a filthy state’ 

‘There was rubbish all over the place – you’d expect people like this to show more respect,’ Mimun added. 

The driver filed a formal complaint, leading the Bonneville prosecutor's office to open an investigation. 

Bonneville prosecutor Boris Duffau confirmed the legal complaint against Mr Lammy and his wife and said this action was later dismissed. 

At the time of the row, a spokesman for the UK Foreign Office said it strongly disputed the taxi driver's version of events, while confirming ‘the fare has been paid in full.

He added:‘The Foreign Secretary and his wife are named as victims in this matter and the driver has been charged with theft.

‘As there is an ongoing legal process, it would be inappropriate to comment further.’