JUST DESERTS


ROBBER THREATENED STOCKTON CABBIE WITH KNIFE SENTENCED TO OVER EIGHT YEARS


A “dangerous” robber threatened to stab a “screaming” taxi driver at knifepoint. Convicted criminal, Lee Wood, 28, demanded that the cabbie hand over all his money in the ‘traumatic’ theft in December 2022. Co-accused Chelsea Wyatt, 24, was also in the Skoda taxi when drunk Wood demanded the cash. The pair appeared at Teesside Crown Court on 11 October for sentencing, with Wood appearing via video link from HMP Durham. Wood had previously pleaded guilty to robbery and Wyatt denied robbery but guilty to theft. Prosecutor Paul Abrahams stated that the taxi driver had arrived in Stockton and picked the pair up, asking for the £19 fare upfront. Wood then produced a knife.


Video footage of the terrifying incident was played in court. Wood can be heard saying: “Get out the car and there won’t be no problem. I swear down I’ll stab you. Give me all your money now.” The screaming driver fled leaving £370 in his vehicle. Wood then drove the car off at speed. Seconds later he smashed into a parked car. Wood then left the vehicle which was later recovered by police. Wood was identified from CCTV footage outside his address and arrested there. Wood has 25 convictions from 60


offences including two previous robberies. Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Wyatt to a 12-month community order, she must also pay a £114 victim surcharge.


The judge deemed Wood a “dangerous offender” and was sentenced to eight years and four months. He will spend six years and four months in custody and two years on extended licence. He will not be considered for release until he has served four years and four months behind bars. Wood will also serve 18 months concurrently for possession of a bladed article; nine months for dangerous driving; he was disqualified for two years and must also pay a £228 victim surcharge.


THUG WHO BATTERED LONDON PHV DRIVER AND STOLE HIS CAR JAILED FOR 45 MONTHS


A trio of masked thugs battered a cabbie and took his car before totalling the vehicle seven miles away in a street robbery around midnight in September 2022. Devonte McKenzie, 23, from Lambeth, blamed the incident on his alcohol addiction and claimed his memory of the brutal attack was ‘hazy’ as he appeared for sentencing at Wood Green Crown Court on 9 October. McKenzie even claimed - unlike his accomplices - he had not kicked or punched the defenceless cab driver, despite turning up for the robbery in a mask and running off with the key. The attack left the cabbie with a


PHTM NOVEMBER 2023


broken elbow and fingers, and dislocation and ligament damage in his shoulder, which forced him off work for over a month. In a victim impact statement the driver said he had to buy a new car on finance after the crash left it completely destroyed. “It was serious, I was extremely panicked,” the driver said. “I thought I was going to be killed, it


terrified me. “I thought they had a knife. They were kicking me and kicking me, I thought I was going to die.” McKenzie was caught after blood from an airbag of the Toyota Verso was matched to his DNA one year later. It took until August this year when the DNA match was made and further police analysis of phone records pinned McKenzie to the robbery. Judge Andrew Holmes said the robbery was ‘really quite unpleasant’ as he sentenced McKenzie to nearly four years in jail. McKenzie will serve half of his 45- month sentence released on licence.


before he is 37


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