JUST DESERTS
DRUNK ATTACKER JAILED AFTER STABBING CHESHIRE CABBIE AND STEALING CAB
A 39-year-old man has been sentenced to six years and eight months in prison after a “terrifying” alcohol-fuelled robbery that left a taxi driver with a stab wound to the leg. Daniel Eckersley, also known as Daniel Bryan, appeared at Chester Crown Court following the violent incident on December 6, 2025. The court heard that Eckersley had asked a resident to order him a cab before launching a brutal assault on the driver, punching him and eventually hijacking the vehicle. The victim managed to call the police, reporting that he had been stabbed by his passenger.
Officers quickly located the aban- doned taxi less than three miles away, discovering a knife in the footwell. Dashcam footage recovered from the vehicle proved to be the undoing of the attacker, as the cameras recorded the moment Eckersley threat- ened the driver and stabbed him. Police later tracked Eckersley to a nearby pub, where a breath test revealed he was more than three times over the legal driving limit. DC Vickie Wallace praised the use of technology in securing the
conviction, noting that “the footage from the dashcams - capturing Eckersley’s initial threats, the stabbing, and the theft of the vehicle - was vital evidence.”
She added that “no one should go to work expecting to go through such a terrifying situation” and suggested the violence was “undoubtedly fuelled by
the
considerable amount of alcohol” the defendant had consumed. Eckersley, who gave no comment during police interviews, pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of a knife, drink driving, and driving without insurance.
WIDNES MAN AVOIDS JAIL AFTER RACIALLY MOTIVATED ATTACK ON TAXI DRIVER
A 62-year-old man from Widnes has been handed a suspended sentence after launching a violent, racially motivated assault on a taxi driver. Brian Clare pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault at Warrington Magistrates Court following the incident, which began when he asked the driver where he was from. The court heard that after the driver replied he was from Palestine, Clare began hurling abuse, telling him to “go back to your own country” and “you have come here to make money and kill people.”
The situation escalated when Clare refused to leave the vehicle. According to prosecutor Mark Baker, Clare punched the driver in
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the back of the head, stuck his fingers down the man’s throat, and dug his nails into the victim’s ears until they bled. He also headbutted the driver’s nose after getting out of the car. Defence solicitor Mark Lever stated that Clare was “extremely remorse- ful” and that his actions were influenced by
views regarding
Hamas although he could not recall a great deal about what happened. Lever argued the outburst was out of character, stating: “It should be taken as only an incident for this offence. It’s not a view that he
takes on a regular basis.” He also noted that Clare’s previous convictions were decades old, dating back to the 1980s and 90s. While the chair of the bench, Russell Malley, agreed the crime was serious enough for a prison sentence, he decided to suspend it. “We believe that this has passed the custody threshold, however you will not be going to prison today,” Malley said, noting a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation.” Clare was given an 18-week sentence, suspended for a year, was ordered to complete 15 Rehabilitation Requirement Days, go on an alcohol monitoring tag for 90 days and he must pay £400 in compensation to the driver.
APRIL 2026 PHTM
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