JUST DESERTS
54 MONTHS JAIL FOR PEMBROKE MAN FOR ATTEMPTED ROBBERY AND ASSAULT OF CABBIE
A Pembroke man has been jailed for trying to rob a taxi driver. Daniel McKenzie, 31, appeared at Swansea Crown Court on March 15 where he was due to stand trial on a charge of attempted robbery. He had already pleaded guilty to a charge of assault occasioning ABH at an earlier hearing but changed his plea on the robbery charge. Miss Donaghue, prosecuting, told the court that last September, McKenzie had turned up drunk at his sister’s house. His sister gave him £5 for the taxi driver to take him away from her house. While in the taxi, the defendant took a joint out of his pocket and the cabbie asked him to not smoke it.
He responded, “It’s not your car, don’t worry.” And when asked again, he put a lighter to
the
driver’s throat, saying “watch
what I can do with this,” and threatened to take his money. McKenzie grabbed the driver’s throat and punched him in the face. The driver pulled over and got out of the car, telling McKenzie to get out. He punched him several times more, so the driver pushed him to the floor. When Mckenzie got up, he went to
go for the car door, which the driver blocked to stop his access to the money.
A member of the public intervened and the police were called and McKenzie was arrested. The driver was taken to hospital with small lacerations on his face. McKenzie has more than 30 convictions for 54 offences, including one for robbery from 2011. Recorder Christian Jowett sentenced Mckenzie to 54 months in prison for the robbery and ten months for the assault, with the sentences to run concurrently and the time he has spent on remand to count towards the sentence.
LANCASHIRE CABBIE NO LONGER WORKS NIGHTS AFTER BEING ROBBED BY THREE PASSENGERS
A taxi driver ‘no longer works nights’ after being robbed and threatened by three passengers. Ellie Wade, 25, and Jordan Thorpe, 20, were spared jail at Burnley Crown Court on March 24 for their involvement in the robbery. Claire Brocklebank, prosecuting, said Wade and Thorpe, plus ringleader Ryan Gardener, and another woman got in a cab in Leyland, at 11pm in December 2020. Due to the long journey to near Preston, the cabbie asked for the fare upfront and Gardener tried to pay but his card was declined so the driver said they must either pay another way or get out. Gardener then grabbed the driver from the back seat and shouted ‘rob him, rob him’.
PHTM APRIL 2023
Thorpe helped in restraining the driver, with Wade stealing £20 in change. Other items were stolen from the driver and the girls fled, Gardener got out of the car, reached back through the window and punched the driver. Gardener and Thorpe ran off but returned with Wade and held up the cab keys saying the cabbie had to pay £50 to get them back. The group fled when residents came out of their houses. Thorpe eventually admitted his involvement in the robbery but Wade continues to
deny her
involvement despite being found guilty at trial earlier this year. In a victim impact statement, the taxi driver said he has lost income as he no longer works nights
which are busier and he struggled to sleep after the incident. Gardener pleaded guilty and was given 16 months in a young offenders institute in 2021. District Judge Richard Clews said he accepted neither of the pair instigated the robbery, they just reacted to Gardener’s behaviour. Judge Clews handed Thorpe a 15- month detention in a young offenders institution, suspended for 18 months. He will be subject to a 7pm - 6am curfew for three months and must complete 135 hours of unpaid work. Wade was handed an 18-month sentence, suspended for 18 months and must complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work.
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