...UNJUST DESSERTS TAXI DRIVER ROBBED AT
KNIFEPOINT IN GATESHEAD
A taxi driver was left fearing he would be killed when he was robbed at knifepoint by two men he picked up. The Dean Taxis driv- er collected the pair from Gateshead in April, they asked to be taken to a pub and put £10 in the central console to cover the cost. But after a few minutes, one of the men reached around the cabbie, brandished a 12-inch knife in his face and threatened
Andrew Davidson
to stab himif he did- n’t hand over money whilst accomplice Andrew Davidson searched the car for cash and valuables. The taxi driver got out of the car and shouted for help as the pair ran off with
a Gucci bag contain- ing £122, a mobile phone and a taxi data hub. Police were called and went to a house where Davidson was and found him dis- carding the phone. Davidson admitted robbery, has been jailed for 45 months. Newcastle Crown Court heard that Davidson, 36, from Wardley, has 37 pre- vious convictions and was on a sus- pended sentence at the time.
A man has been jailed for three years for punching a Brad- ford taxi driver in the head and steal- ing his phone. Bradford
Crown
Court heard that Joseph Smith, 21, had committed a similar offence by punching a cabbie in the ribs in order to snatch his phone. Smith from Brad- ford, hired a taxi in February but when the driver pulled up at the destination, Smith lent over and
ROBBER REPEATEDLY PUNCHED BRADFORD DRIVER IN HEAD
Joseph Smith
grabbed his phone. When the victim seized him by the trousers to try to stop him fleeing Smith punched him several times in the
head. The taxi driver followed him and saw where he went so the police arrest- ed Smith. The court heard that the victim had been a taxi driver for 27 years and was left very distressed. He suffered a scratched hand but feared he would sustain more serious injuries. Smith had eight pre- vious convictions for 13 offences and was on prison licence when he committed the robbery.
DRIVER PUNCHED IN THE FACE OVER £10 NOTE IN CARDIFF
A dad on a night out in Cardiff with a friend punched a taxi driver in the face in an “unforgiv- able” attack in June last year. Intoxicated
Billy
Wheeler struck the taxi driver after arguing about the £10 his mate had used to pay the fare. Wheeler, 42, began demanding the £10 back, and a row between driver and back seat passenger followed. Wheeler swung a number of punches at the cabbie, one of which hit him on the left cheek. He then got out of the vehi- cle and tried to punch the driver again but the cabbie pulled away. The defendant then threw the mobile
JULY 2020
phone charger he was holding at the vehicle, hitting the rear window with such force that the glass
shattered.
Wheeler ran after the cab as it drove away. The court heard the victim suffered a sore cheek as a result of the attack, had to take three days off work, and has seen his insur- ance premiums rise by £500. In his subsequent police
Wheeler said he could
interview remember
nothing about the journey due to the amount of vodka, Valium and parac- etamol he had consumed that night. Wheeler from Bar- goed, pleaded guilty to assault occasion-
ing ABH and to criminal damage when he appeared for sentencing on June 5. He had orig- inally been charged with robbery but the Crown did not pur- sue that charge. The court heard he has several previous convictions for vio- lence including two for ABH, unlawful wounding, and rob- bery all dating from the 1990s. Giving the defen- dant a one-third dis- count for his guilty pleas, the judge sen- tenced him to six months prison, sus- pended for
18
months, and 100 hours of unpaid work as well as attending a rehabili- tation course. He must also pay his victim £820.
MAN ASSAULTED NORFOLK DRIVER 12 YEARS AFTER MANSLAUGHTER
A man who was jailed for
seven
years in 2009 for killing a wealthy banker, in a joint attack with his brother, was back in court following a violent attack on a taxi driver. Tom Cowles ap- peared at Norwich Crown Court on June 26 following an attack on the taxi driver in August last year. Cowles and his wife were being taken to Acle when a dispute arose about
the
route the taxi driver was taking. Cowles, who was sitting behind the driver, suddenly put his arms around his neck and started strangling him. The taxi driver was able to free himself
before stopping the taxi. Cowles then snapped the mirror off the car and tried to destroy the cen- tral console before continuing to attack the driver. Luckily
another
motorist stopped to assist by contacting the police but Cowles went over and kicked out at him before running away. The taxi driver suf- fered an injury to his eye resulting in the risk of a detached retina. Cowles
admitted
assault occasioning ABH, assault by beating and damag- ing property. Judge Anthony Bate said Cowles had been sentenced to 12 years formanslaugh- ter following a fatal
attack in Norwich city centre. He said there were similari- ties in the “grat- uitous
violence”
while in drink, used in that attack and the current incident. But having regard for his mitigation pleas,
the Judge
stepped back from immediate custody. Cowles was given a 10-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, ordered to do 180 hours unpaid work, made the sub- ject of a six month curfew and must do 25 days rehabilita- tion activity require- ment. In addition Cowles was ordered to pay £500 compensation to the victim, £500 in compensation to the taxi firm and £250 costs.
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