Robber jailed for two attacks on taxi drivers
A VIOLENT robber who attacked two taxi drivers in just four hours has been jailed.
Christopher Burtak, aged 23, and another unidentified man, beat up two drivers on April 13 after directing them to secluded areas.
The pair then stole items including mobile phones and a sat nav.
Bolton Crown Court heard Sajjad Muhammed, of STB taxis, and Yousuf Esoop, of Bridge Taxis, had been left traumatised.
The first robbery took place in Rawson Road at 1am. Burtak told Mr Muhammed to stop the car and punched him on his nose, causing it to bleed.
His accomplice got out of the car, and Mr Muhammed, fearing for his safety, started to run away.
But he realised he had left his keys in the ignition and went back, and was punched in the head. The pair fled with his sat nav and mobile phone. Less than two hours later, at 2.55am, the pair got a car from Bridge Taxis in Blackburn Road.
They directed the driver Mr Esoop to Union Road, near an industrial area.
Burtak said “you are being robbed” and went to punch him in the head but missed.
The other man got out of the car and grabbed Mr Esoop by his jacket, wrestled him out of the car and to the floor.
He was kicked and they took his jacket, containing his mobile phone and £20.
The court heard he was put off going to work.
Burtak, of Bradshaw Brow, Bolton, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery.
The court heard he has previous convictions, including a robbery in 2006 when he attacked a family with a hammer and drill.
Andy Costello, defending, said: “He has had a very difficult upbringing and in recent years he has been serving a sentence and suffered a bereavement and breakdown of a long-term relationship while he was in custody.”
Judge Charles Bloom, sentencing Burtak to four years, said: “You must take responsibility for your own actions. The two victims were taxi drivers doing their job.
“Each were traumatised and feel less safe doing their job. They are particularly vulnerable people and the message must go out that they need protection.”
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/918 ... i_drivers/
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