This is the shocking moment a smartly-dressed passenger climbed out of the window of a black cab to allegedly dodge his fare – and then spat at and racially abused the driver.

Cameras inside the taxi filmed the man appearing to spit at the driver before shouting “your mother’s a P*** you c***” during the incident in King's Road, Chelsea.

Police have launched an investigation and today issued an appeal for help in tracing the man pictured.

He had clambered out of the window after the taxi driver locked the doors, because he was allegedly refusing to pay his fare.

He then started kicking the cab – causing the camera to shake – before making off.

The incident happened on March 22 this year but the shocking video only emerged this week, when the driver posted it on YouTube in a bid to “name and shame” the passenger.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "The victim, a licensed black cab driver, had picked up a man in Camberwell New Road at approximately 1.15am.

"A short while later the man started to shout at the driver; the driver eventually stopped the cab in King's Road, Chelsea, at around 1.30am and asked the man to pay his fare and leave.

"The man refused and shouted further abuse, some of a racial nature. He then climbed out of the window of the cab, spat and kicked the vehicle before making off."

During the video, the passenger can be heard talking to someone on the phone, saying "I'm locked in the f****** car."

The driver also appears to be speaking to someone, telling them: "He is running, he is running away."

Police described the man as white, approximately 6ft tall and wearing a white shirt and a charcoal grey suit.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Kensington and Chelsea police via 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.