DESSERTS!!
THREE YEARS FOR KNIFE ATTACK ON HALIFAX CABBIE
A 20-year-old who robbed a taxi driver at knifepoint - after a row over change - has been jailed for three years. Kyle Murray, from Hali- fax, committed the attack because he said he felt robbed himself when he was short-changed.
Murray took up to £30 from the driver during the attack after a night out.
The incident took place on May 28 this year when Murray and his girlfriend got into a taxi in Halifax town centre just before 11pm. Arriving at their house in Ovenden an argument broke out over the fare.
Murray claimed he had been short changed and got out
of the car in a fury. He started punching the rear driver’s side door, eventually smashing the window.
The startled taxi driver got out and Murray punched him repeat- edly in the face before the driver fought back and blows were exchanged.
During the melee the taxi driver hadn’t applied the handbrake fully and the car began to roll down the hill, hitting another vehicle. Bradford Crown Court heard that at that point Murray ran inside the house and returned with a kitchen knife with a blade between seven and nine inches long.
He demanded the driver hand over his money so he emptied
his pockets, which contained between £20 and £30, and Mur- ray ran away.
The court heard Mur- ray’s girlfriend initially lied to police over their relationship, saying she had only met him that night. However, the taxi driver confirmed he had given the couple lifts before and police returned to the house to find Mur- ray hiding in the loft. In mitigation, the court heard that Murray blamed an argument with his girlfriend and too much drink for the attack.
Murray pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery, but not guilty to pos- session of an offensive weapon despite admit- ting using the knife in the attack.
MAN JAILED FOR FIVE YEARS AFTER ASSAULTING MORLEY DRIVER
A violent offender who hit a Morley taxi driver on the head with a rock in a row over a fare has been jailed. The Morley Observer reports that Ricky Rayson, 29, carried out the attack in Bee- ston after being released from a sen- tence for robbery in which he walked around a supermarket threatening people with a hammer.
Prosecuting, Michael Greenhalgh told Leeds Crown Court that Rayson was picked up from Bee- ston at 11.30am on February 16 this year by Morley Cars driver Amir Kayum.
Rayson did not have any money to pay for the journey to Leeds city centre but agreed to leave his wallet and documentation with the driver and arranged to
pay him later that day. At 2.50pm, Rayson sent Mr Kayum a text message asking to meet him at a pub in Beeston so he could pay. Rayson gave £6 but was told he need- ed to pay £10.
He then took Mr Kayum to the home of his former girlfriend, but she refused to give any more money, say- ing Rayson had been overcharged.
Rayson then rang the police to complain and demanded the driver return his wallet and papers.
Mr Greenhalgh said the driver handed them over but Rayson continued to be aggressive and hit the car window with a bot- tle of alcohol he had been drinking from. Rayson then ran off but the driver ran after him.
NOVEMBER 2011 PHTM
At this point, Rayson picked up a large rock and threatened to kill Mr Rayson before hit- ting him across the back of the head with it, causing cuts and bruising.
Rayson, who had taken amphetamines at the time of the attack, was arrested two days later.
He told officers: “I digged him and I will do it again. He should have given me my wal- let. I hope he has got a scar.”
Rayson pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, possessing an offensive weapon and breach of a restraining order.
Jailing him for five years, Recorder Hirst said: “Taxi drivers are always vulnerable because they have to rely on people being law abiding.”
THREE AND A HALF YEARS FOR ATTACK ON BRADFORD CABBIE
A teenager who bran- dished a kitchen knife at a taxi driver in a late- night robbery bid has been locked up for three and a half years. Joshua Lovell was branded a serious risk to the public by two psychiatrists and his probation officer, Bradford Crown Court heard.
The 19-year-old was drunk when he decid- ed to steal a cab in Wyke, Bradford, so he
could get home. Lovell waved the knife at the driver, Munsaf Dadd, and demanded his vehicle.
Mr Dadd courageous- ly confronted Lovell, cutting his hand on the knife, prosecutor Heather Gilmore told the court. Lovell, from Wyke, changed his mind about the car- jacking and ran off. He pleaded guilty to the robbery attempt on November 15 last year,
as well as possessing a bladed article and being in breach of an anti-social behaviour order.
Lovell also admitted to a string of other offences, including committing nine house burglaries. The Telegraph and Argus reports that Judge Peter Benson sent Lovell to a young offenders’ institution for three and a half years.
JAIL FOR ROBBER WHO PICKED UP FARE IN STOLEN WREXHAM TAXI
A robber, high on cocaine and alcohol, stole a taxi driver’s takings and his cab. Simon Aldred smiled as he drove off from Caia Park in Wrexham - and then pretended to be a real taxi driver and picked up a fare. After dropping his female passenger off, police caught up with him.
He drove so fast that officers decided that it would be too danger- ous for other road users for them to con-
tinue chasing him. The stolen vehicle reached a speed of 97 mph before crashing at Acrefair, writing it off. According to the Wales Daily Post, Aldred, 28, from Wrexham, admit- ted robbing the taxi driver of £40 and his vehicle on June 27. He denied having a knife but accepted he had made his victim think that he had one. Aldred also admitted damage, taking the taxi, dangerous driv- ing, failing to provide a
specimen and no insurance.
He was jailed for three years and nine months and banned from driv- ing for three years. Judge Niclas Parry said it was a serious attack on a vulnerable public servant.
“The role of a taxi driv- er working alone at night is crucial for the public,” he said. “By the very nature of their work they are easy targets - they carry money alone in their vehicles.”
WOMAN ASSAULTED LEICESTER DRIVER AFTER REFUSING TO PAY
A cabbie was left with a bloodied face after an attack by a female passenger.
Delisha McKay, 28,
pleaded guilty at Leicester Magistrates’ Court to assaulting the cabbie in his taxi on September 13.
Prosecutor Sukhjit Singh said McKay approached the driver as he sat in his cab outside ABC Taxis headquarters, in Lon- don Road. The driver received a message from control telling
him to ask for the fare up front because there had been trouble with her in the past.
“He asked her for the money and she shout- ed at him, then gave him £2.80 in change, telling him she would get the rest when she was dropped off. “When she asked him to pull up and she would get the rest of the fare he asked her if she was going to pay; if not he would call the police.”
Mr Singh said the driver
then felt a heavy blow to his face and blood run- ning down his nose. When his vision cleared, he saw the defendant walking away. He suffered a deep cut across his nose.
Mr Singh said she told the police the driver had insulted her and she must have slapped or pushed him.
The case was ad- journed for reports to be prepared. McKay was released on unconditional bail.
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