Sydney taxi driver assaulted and robbed

A taxi driver has been punched, kicked and robbed in Sydney's east after chasing a couple who refused to pay a fare.

Police said the driver picked up a man and a woman on Campbell Parade at Bondi Beach just after 8.30pm (AEDT) on Monday and drove them to Maroubra.

But at the intersection of Scott and Broome streets, the two passengers ran from the taxi without paying.

The 50-year-old driver chased the pair on foot asking for payment, but he was punched repeatedly in the face, causing him to fall, police said in a statement.

The man then kicked the driver several times, took money from his pocket and fled.

The driver was taken to Prince of Wales Hospital for treatment.

Police say the male offender is described as being of Caucasian appearance, aged in his late teens or early 20s, about 180cm tall, of muscular build and with a fair complexion.

The woman is described as being of Asian appearance, aged in her late teens or early 20s, about 160cm tall and with a thin build.