JUST DESERTS
MAN JAILED FOR 30 MONTHS AFTER KNIFE ATTACK AND RACIST THREATS AGAINST LIVERPOOL CABBIE
A man who threatened a taxi driver with a knife and subjected him to racist abuse over an unpaid fare has been sentenced to 30 months in prison. Lee Smith, 41, had only been released from prison two months prior. The incident unfolded in the early hours of April 28, in Kirkby. The taxi driver had picked up a woman the previous evening, who stated she didn’t have money for the fare. She directed him to Warrenhouse Road, claiming her partner would pay. However, once at the address, the woman went inside and did not reappear. Prosecutor Ian Criddle told Liverpool Crown Court
that after a 10 minutes, the driver knocked on the door. “The lady didn’t come out, but the defendant did,” Mr Criddle said. Smith, described as aggressive, then pressed a knife against the taxi driver’s stomach. “He said ‘you Black c***, get away from here, I’ll stab you, I’ll kill you’”. The woman eventually emerged and suggested the driver return the following day for payment, but Smith continued his racist abuse and threats. The taxi driver
subsequently called the police, leading to Smith’s arrest. The court heard that Smith has a lengthy criminal record, with 90 separate offences across 37 convictions, including for damage, theft, violence and robbery. The victim described the knife as being between 10 and 12cm in length and told the court he was “upset, he was distressed and he was scared” by the ordeal. Smith pleaded guilty
to
threatening a person with a blade in a public place and racially aggravated common assault. He received a total sentence of 30 months’ imprisonment.
RACIST STOKE-ON-TRENT THUG SPARED PRISON AFTER BRUTAL CABBIE ATTACK OVER FARE
A “racist thug” who battered a cabbie in a dispute over an £8.60 fare has narrowly avoided a prison sentence. Robert Barone, 51, was handed a community order despite a violent outburst that left the cabbie needing stitches. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that the incident, which occurred on June 5, 2023, escalated when Barone objected to being charged £1 more than his usual fare. David Isles, prosecuting, detailed how Barone “exited the vehicle, spat at him through the window, hit him in the face and called him a p***.” After the initial assault, Barone retreated into his Bucknall home. The victim, attempting to report the incident to his base and blacklist Barone, moved his car down the street. However, Barone
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re-emerged, with a wallpaper scraper. Isles stated: “The defendant came out and struck the victim three times with a metal rod wallpaper scraper and caused damage to his car door.” The attack resulted in the victim’s right arm bleeding, requiring stitches at the hospital. A witness described seeing the defendant with the victim “in a headlock” and that it “looked like the victim was in fear and the defendant seemed aggravated.” Police later found the blood- stained wallpaper scraper under Barone’s bed. Barone, who has a history of 28 convictions for 48
offences, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault occasioning ABH and threatening with a bladed article. Judge Robert Smith, addressing Barone, stated: “You are a man predisposed towards violence.” He highlighted the victim’s need for hospital treatment and the significant impact on his livelihood, forcing him to take “six weeks off work and lost income. Barone was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work within 12 months, pay £1,000 compensation to the victim, and £500 in costs. Judge Smith concluded by emphasising that he would be: “reviewing your suspended sentence and if you put a foot wrong, I’ll send you to prison so fast your feet won’t touch the ground.”
AUGUST 2025 PHTM
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