has been staging a hunger strike outside Bristol Magistrates' Court since 10am on Monday.Hoviat-Doust - who cannot speak because of the thick cotton thread binding his lips together - wrote on a piece of paper: 'I am a taxi driver who was wrongly convicted of common assault and I have lost my job.
'I am here because none of my evidence was considered by the court even though it was strong.'
Asked why he had stitched his mouth shut, he wrote: 'If you have no right to speak, you have no right to defence.'
Hoviat-Doust has lost his taxi driver's licence as a result of the conviction and is now unable to support his 16-month-old son and wife, who is 19 weeks pregnant
He was also given an eight-week community order after the trial heard how he had argued with a female passenger about a daytime fare on July 17 last year.
The woman is then said to have rung his taxi office to complain before he became abusive.
Prosecutors claimed he then assaulted her by stopping the taxi, taking her out of the vehicle and leaving her on the ground and driving off.
Hoviat-Doust, of Brentry, Bristol, maintains she was being abusive towards him and that he opened the door and asked her to leave, which she eventually did.
He was found guilty of common assault on June 6 and given an eight-week community order and a tagged curfew between 7pm and 7am.
He was ordered to pay £200 compensation to his victim and court costs of £620.
A spokeswoman for Bristol City Council confirmed that Hoviat-Doust's licence had been suspended by the council in June following his conviction.
She said: 'The council has an overriding duty to maintain safety.
'As a result of Mr Hoviat-Doust's conviction for violent assault against a female passenger, his licence as Hackney Carriage driver was suspended in accordance with council policy.'
The spokeswoman said the cab driver had not appealed against the loss of his licence.
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