JUST DESSERTS
15 MONTHS FOR TEENAGER WHO ROBBED WALSALL DRIVER FOR FUN
A Walsall teenager who decided to rob a taxi driver for fun because he was “bored” has been sent to a Young Offenders’ Institution for 15 months after admitting robbery.
Naeem Iqbal was repeatedly punched about the head by Luke Joynes and his two accomplices before being robbed of his phone, car keys and about £3.50 in change.
According to the Wal- sall Advertiser, Joynes was traced by police officers after he put his own sim card into the stolen phone, reveal- ing his name and address.
SEVEN YEARS FOR MIDDLESBROUGH TAXI THIEVES
Raiders who stole two taxis from one house - then wrecked one of the cabs - have been locked up for more than seven years. The Middlesbrough Evening Gazette reports that Teesside’s top judge told Kevin Scott and Liam Davis: “The public need pro- tection from you.” Scott, 20, was sent to a young offenders’ insti-
tution for four years and eight months. Davis, 17, was sent away for two and a half years. Teesside Crown Court heard the Stockton pair burgled an occu- pied home in Stockton last November and took the keys to two Vauxhall Vectra taxis. Driver Davis later lost control and crashed the second car, caus- ing no injury but
“extensive damage”. Two days later, Scott alone smashed a win- dow and broke into a home in Norton, and took a Vauxhall Corsa from the drive, later crashing the car. Scott and Davis, both from Middlesbrough, each admitted burglary and aggravated vehi- cle taking. Both had previous convictions going back to 2005.
SIX YEARS FOR STUDENT WHO SHOT SHEFFIELD CABBIE
A university student who shot a Sheffield taxi driver in the head with pellets has been locked up for six years. “Your victim was terri- fied, believing he was being shot with a real gun,” Harminder Jhakra, aged 19, was told by a judge. Jhakra, whom Shef- field Crown Court heard had ‘an impres- sive school record’ and came from a ‘good and caring family’, asked the driver to take him back to his accommo- dation so he could get some money.
The Sheffield Hallam University student went inside, collected the ball-bearing gun and then shot driver
Mohammed Aslam with pellets. The Sheffield Telegraph reports that the Judge said: “Physically, his injuries were not life- threatening but his victim impact statement shows the effect it has had on him - life-chang- ing in many respects, causing him to fear a similar incident every time he gets into his taxi.”
Sending Jhakra to a young offenders’ insti- tution for six years, the judge added: “Wound- ing with intent is always a very serious offence with only one possible sentence - a lengthy custodial one. “Courts must do what they can to make the
streets of this city free of guns and that means long sentences, even for young people of good character.” The court heard that on the night of the attack Jhakra had been out drinking with friends and called a taxi in the early hours. Mr Aslam told police he thought he was going to die. He man- aged to drive to hospital and was treat- ed for a puncture wound to his head and bruising to his arm. Jhakra pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and pos- sessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
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TWO YEARS FOR PEMBROKESHIRE MAN WHO ROBBED CABBIE
A Pembroke Dock man who held a shard of glass to the throat of a taxi driver while trying to rob him has been jailed for two years. Swansea Crown Court heard how on Decem- ber 5th last year Daniel Roberts, 20, was picked up by Mr Shanks. Roberts then pulled out the glass
and held it to his throat. Roberts demanded the money bag, but Mr Shanks refused to hand it over. Instead
he
pressed the car horn and Roberts left only with just his mobile. Mr Shanks, who suf- fered a cut to his hand, called the police, who were quickly on the scene.
The judge said Roberts saw a police officer he knew, walked up to him with his hands up and said: “Take me in. It was me.”
Roberts told police he had decided on the rob- bery to help his mother. Judge Heywood said “Robberies like this are always taken very seri- ously by the courts.”
WATFORD TEENAGE GIRLS FACE JAIL AFTER ROBBING TAXI DRIVER
Two teenage girls dis- guised their faces with scarves and pretend- ed they had a gun when they stole £44 from a taxi driver in Watford. The Watford Observer reports that Sibonglie Dube, 19, and Kiran Mahmood, 18, were locked up for two years last month for the robbery of Mohammed Fayyaz. St Albans Crown Court heard that Dube and
Mahmood told Mr Fayyaz to go to an address but on the way, Dube told him to drive to a dead end road next to a park. Mr Fayyaz said the fare was £4.80, but then Dube said: “Give me all your money.” She told Mahmood, who had put either her fingers or a toothbrush against his shoulder, to shoot him, said Mr Chrimes.
He handed over a total
of £44 and they left with Mahmood taking the victim’s car keys. Mr Chrimes said the taxi driver was left “traumatised” by his ordeal. Forty minutes after the robbery, the two girls were spotted by the police and arrested. Dube, from Edmonton and Mahmood from Watford, pleaded guilty to robbery. Nei- ther girl had any previous convictions.
JAIL WARNING FOR MIDDLESBROUGH CABBIE’S ATTACKER
Taxi driver Mehrban Manga refused to let a knifepoint robbery stop him doing his job - and returned to work the same night. The 41-year-old says he will not allow his livelihood to be ruined by Andrew Michael Reed’s attempt to steal his takings.
According to the Mid- dlesbrough Evening Gazette, Reed, 31, got into Mr Manga’s taxi in Middlesbrough town centre. He was asked to drive to Eston, but directed to a spot out
of CCTV view last July. Mr Manga pulled up at a secluded cul-de-sac, before feeling the blade on his neck and hearing Reed say: “Give us what you’ve got.”
The driver grabbed the knife with both hands and wrested it from his attacker’s grasp, bending it almost 90 degrees.
Reed fled empty-hand- ed but was spotted trying to hide his face from CCTV, before being chased and arrested.
Just over a month ear- lier, he had been released from a nine- year prison sentence for burglaries involv- ing knives.
Reed denied attempt- ed robbery in the taxi, lied, and pleaded guilty only after DNA was found on the knife. Recorder Michael Slater adjourned sen- tencing for Reed’s dangerousness to be assessed, but warned he was considering “imprisonment for public protection”, similar to life.
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