JUST DESERTS


WHITLEY BAY KNIFEMAN JAILED FOR FOUR YEARS AFTER TRYING TO ROB TWO CABBIES


Two taxi drivers were subjected to terrifying knifepoint ordeals by a drug addict desperate for cash. Philip Robinson has now been jailed at Newcastle Crown Court. The first offence happened at around 12.20am, a private hire driver on Whitley Road, Whitley Bay, was waiting for a job from his office when Robinson approached him, asking to be taken to Tynemouth. He was told he would have to make a booking through the office. An upset female then came on the scene and asked for a lift but was told the same as Robinson. Kevin Wardlaw, prosecuting, said while that interaction was hap- pening: “The defendant climbed through the open front passenger window up to his waist and held a knife to him and threatened to stab him unless he gave him money. The victim tried to record what was happening on his phone but Robinson left, before repeatedly banging on the window then


slashing a tyre of the taxi as the driver made off.


The victim was left shaken. Around an hour later, Robinson approached another taxi on Whitley Road, again asking to be taken to Tynemouth, which he agreed to do. Mr Wardlaw said: “Within a minute, the defendant told him to stop the car because he was feeling sick. “The defendant opened the door, put his left foot on the road and pretended to be sick before turning to him pointing a knife towards him, demanding he gave him money. The victim panicked and told him to get out and said he had cameras in his taxi but the defendant replied ‘I’m not bothered, if you don’t give me money I will hit you.” Robinson was half in and half out


of the car so the taxi driver accelerated away, causing him to fall out of the car and he fractured both elbows. In a victim impact statement, the cabbie said: “The incident made me very


nervous. It felt very


dangerous.” Robinson was arrested after CCTV was circulated in the press and his family contacted him, telling him to hand himself in, which he did. The 34-year-old, of Whitley Bay, whose only previous conviction is for drink driving, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted robbery, possessing a bladed article and criminal damage. He was jailed for four years. Matthew Purves, defending, said Robinson had fallen into drug addiction after the tragedy of losing two babies. The court heard he behaved out of character and is not usually a violent person. He wrote a letter apologising to the victims and vowing to stay off drugs.


£200 FINE FOR FARNHAM MAN WHO BIT PUNCHED AND SPAT AT CABBIE IN HATE CRIME


A man has been sentenced after being found guilty of a hate crime in Farnham. Oliver Cunningham punched the driver several times during the incident. On August 6 this year, a group of six men ordered a PHV to get them home from a night out in London. As they got back to Farnham at 4.50am, the passengers asked the driver to add on an additional


30


journey and grew angry when they were told this would cost extra. One of the men, Cunningham, 18, from Farnham, grew violent, punching the driver in the face several times causing swelling and bruising. He also bit him, spat at him in the face and spat on the car before running off. Commander Rob Brian, from Surrey Police, said: “This was a particularly nasty assault against a


taxi driver who has been abused and spat at while simply trying to carry out his job. "I hope this result demonstrates to people that we do take reports related to hate crime seriously and they will be followed up.” At his sentencing at Guildford Magistrates’ Court on November 14, Cunningham received a £200 fine, rehabilitation activity and he must pay a £114 victim surcharge.


DECEMBER 2023 PHTM


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