Hull minicab driver's shock as hammer-wielding thug chases his passengers and smashes car window over a gold Rolex watchA minicab driver says he has been left traumatised after a thug used a hammer to smash a window in a bid to reach his passengers.
Philip Johnson, employed by private hire firm 57 Cars, in Hessle Road, was called to collect a fare in Carol Dickson Court, west Hull.
But when Mr Johnson arrived, he saw his passengers – a man and a woman – charging towards his car.
The pair were being chased by John Anderson, said Mr Johnson in a statement, a summary of which was read to Hull Crown Court yesterday.
Prosecutor Richard Thompson said: "They started to run like 'frightened rabbits', according to Mr Johnson.
"A male was pursuing them, brandishing what he thought was an axe, but it was, in fact, a hammer.
"The female got into the front of the minicab. The male got into the back.
"Mr Johnson pulled out, but the defendant smashed the hammer into the near-side window, causing it to smash."
Mr Thompson said the male passenger appeared "very apologetic" and offered to pay for the damaged window.
"Mr Johnson was asked to drive them to a different address and there was a further confrontation, where more damage was caused to the taxi," he said.
Mr Thompson said the ordeal had frightened Mr Johnson and, as a result, had left him suffering flashbacks.
"Mr Johnson says he has dreams about what had happened to him," said Mr Thompson.
The window ended up costing Mr Johnson £72 and, because he felt he could not complete his night shift, he lost about £50 in earnings.
Mr Thompson told the court the passengers had never been traced by police.
Anderson, 27, of Thorpepark Road, Orchard Park, north Hull, admitted affray, possessing an offensive weapon and criminal damage at an earlier hearing.
He had chalked up 36 previous convictions, including burglary and violence since 2004, the court heard.
Claire Holmes, mitigating, said her client had "not formulated any plan" prior to picking up the hammer.
"This is a defendant who was extremely frustrated," she said.
"He believed they (the passengers) had stolen something of extreme sentimental value – a gold Rolex watch that belong to his late father. He wanted to stop them leaving."
But Miss Holmes said Anderson had "turned his life around" after the attack, which happened on February 14, 2012, and had gained voluntary work that would become paid if he were to avoid a prison term.
Sentencing Anderson to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, Judge Simon Jack said: "It must have been a very frightening experience for the taxi driver, who probably thought he was going to be a target as well as the people in his vehicle.
"However, it has taken a long time, two years, for a variety of reasons, for this case to reach court and there is evidence you have turned your life around."
In addition to his suspended sentence, Anderson was given a two-year supervision order, ordered to complete 150 hours unpaid community work and made to pay £122 in compensation to Mr Johnson.
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