A taxi passenger wanting to go from the city to Lane Cove was instead taken to Macquarie Fields and allegedly bashed by the taxi driver's family.
The 20-year-old man got into the taxi on King Street Wharf in the city and asked to go to Lane Cove at 2am last Sunday morning.
After crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, its alleged the passenger vomited out a window of the cab. Police said the the 33-year-old driver demanded the passenger pay the fare and a clean-up fee. After an argument, the taxi driver drove the car to Macquarie Fields, where
his wife and elderly parents allegedly got into the taxi and struck the passenger, demanding money.
After handing over an amount of cash, the passenger was allegedly freed on Oxford Road at Ingleburn. He alerted police, who arrested the taxi driver on Thursday at his Macquarie Fields home.
He was charged with detaining someone for advantage.
The driver was released on bail, ordered to face the Campbelltown Local Court on Wednesday, August 25.