JUST DESSERTS
VIOLENT THUG LURES MANCHESTER TAXI DRIVER BEFORE PRESSING A KNIFE AGAINST HIM
A violent career criminal lured a taxi driver to a terrifying knifepoint robbery just two weeks after he had been re- leased from prison on licence. The Manchester Evening News re- ports that in court, Philip Phythian, 29, blamed the death of his two baby chil- dren for plunging him into a drink- and-drug fuelled depression and said he had sought help
but lockdown had seen ‘all doors closed’. The taxi driver came from Bolton to col- lect Phythian from an address in Gor- ton in April a court heard. He was told to go to Royal Bolton Hospital but when the taxi arrived Phythian asked to be taken to a number of other addresses Manch- ester Crown Court was told. But the taxi driver, a
married father of three, ‘started to feel alarmed’ when the fare then asked to be taken back to the Gorton address. On the way Phythian told the driver to stop the car, pulled out a large knife and pressed it to the driver’s stomach, telling his terrified victim: “Give me the money. Quick, quick. Give me the money.” The driver handed over £100 in cash, and Phythian walk-
ed away. Police were called, visited the original pick-up address where one of the occupants pointed officers to Phythi- an’s nearby address where they arrested him and seized three knives. He denied his crime and suggested that the taxi driver had lied. In a victim personal statement read out in court, the taxi driver said: “I felt so
scared. He could have really hurt me, all for money. I was so panicked. I still panic every single day now.” The driver said he had returned to work but was fearful when picking up male passengers The court heard Phythian was a career criminal with a string of previous convictions includ- ing for burglary, robbery and knife crime, escaping cus-
THREE TEENAGERS SENTENCED FOR ATTEMPTED ROBBERY OF CAB DRIVER IN ENFIELD
Three teenagers have been sen- tenced to a com- bined total of nine- and-a-half years’ detention after they attempted to rob a private hire driver. A 16-year-old boy [A], was sentenced to four years and two months’ in a young offender ins- titution (YOI) having pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, possession of a pro- hibited weapon and aggravated vehicle taking. A 17-year-old youth [B], was sentenced to 32 months in a YOI having pleaded guilty to attempted robbery. A 16-year-old boy [C], was sentenced to three years’ in a YOI for causing GBH with intent and attempted robbery. On 11 October 2019,
88
the victim - a mini- cab driver aged in his 30s - picked up the three defen- dants in Enfield who requested he drive them to Ivy Road, N14, where, as he parked the car, the suspects demanded that he hand over the vehicle keys. One of the teen- agers attempted to wrap the driver’s seatbelt around his neck, while another tasered him. Although the victim managed to escape from the car and run away, the suspects quickly caught up with him and stabbed him three times in the leg before stealing the keys. They then fled the scene without taking the vehicle. The victim was helped by a member of the public until
emergency services arrived. He was taken to hospital where his injuries required surgery. Detectives launched an investigation and two of the defen- dants were identi- fied after they were arrested in connec- tion with an un- related robbery. There was over- whelming evidence against the suspects including forensics, mobile phone data and CCTV footage placing them at the scene. The third teenager handed himself in. DC James Byrne, who led the investi- gation, said: “This was clearly a pre- planned attack in which the defen- dants were intent on using serious vio- lence to get what they wanted.
“The victim suffered a horrific ordeal at their hands and his injuries could have been far more seri- ous if not for the fast response of a quick
thinking member of the public and emergency services. “The incident has had a profound effect on the vic- tim’s quality of life
and personal well- being. I am pleased these boys are in a place where they are no longer a dan- ger to the com- munity.”
JAIL FOR THUG WHO MADE GLASGOW DRIVER GO ON 13-MILE TERROR RIDE
A knife thug made a taxi driver go on a 13-mile terror ride – then called to ask for items he left behind. Glasgowlive reports that David Chandler told Sidiqi Salahud- ding: “Do what I tell you or I will chop you from the back.” Chandler had got into Sidiqi’s car in Glasgow’s Gartham- lock before ordering him to make the trip to the city’s Drum-
chapel in April 2019. The cabbie – who worked for South- side Radio Cars - felt a “sharp object press against his hip”. The 27 year-old – who was armed with a ten-inch blade – eventually told the driver to stop and he fled the scene. leaving a knife, and mobile phone in the cab. Prosecutor Mark Allan told Glasgow Sheriff Court : “Five
days later, Chandler contacted the taxi company looking to have his property returned. “He was advised that the property was now in control of the police.” Chandler was later traced and was jailed for three years after he pleaded guilty to abducting the taxi driver as well as a separate assault on his part- ner.
JUNE 2020
tody, a stabbing, criminal damage and harassment. He was released from prison on March 18 and was on licence when he robbed the taxi driv- er. Judge Suzanne Goddard QC, jailed Phythian for six years saying that the defendant had left his victim ‘extremely scared as anybody would be in those circum- stances.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112
