Taxi Driver Online

Cabbie grabbed by the neck and robbed in early hours attack



DRUG user Stephen Condliffe robbed a taxi driver in the early hours of the morning.

The 29-year-old stole food and drinks from the glove box as another man grabbed the cabbie round his neck and pinned him in his seat before stealing £93 cash.

The two men then ran off leaving the driver shocked.

Now Condliffe has been jailed for two-and-a-half years at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

Prosecutor Adam Watkins said private hire driver Azizur Rahman picked up three men at a Smallthorne address in the early hours of October 9 and took them to Fegg Hayes.

Front seat passenger Jay Keeling paid the £5 fare and got out, allowing Condliffe to sit in the front passenger seat.

But a third man, sat behind the driver, grabbed Mr Rahman around the neck and pulled him back in his seat.

Mr Watkins said: "That man took £35 in bank notes from the driver's pocket. Condliffe took two items of food and three cans of soft drink from the glove box.

"The taxi driver backed away from the vehicle. The third man got in the driver's seat and took £58 worth of coins from the driver's door pocket. Condliffe and the third man ran away."

The defendant was arrested the next day.

Mr Rahman, a taxi driver for eight years, was left feeling nervous and now turns down fares he would have previously accepted.

Condliffe, of Westbourne Drive, Tunstall, who has 41 previous convictions for 100 offences, pleaded guilty to robbery.

Barry White, mitigating, said the defendant was struggling with drug use at the time. He added: "The person not charged with this offence was the main offender. The defendant's role was fairly minimal."

Jailing Condliffe, Judge Timothy Smith said: "You took items from the glove box, not of any great significance. But if there had been anything of great value I have no doubt that would have been taken. You were looking for what you could take.

"The robbery was committed by the two of you. You joined in with the other, who I accept was the greater participant.

"Taxi drivers taking people late at night are entitled to and will receive as much protection as they can be given by these courts. They are vulnerable. Those who carry out robberies of this type must expect and will receive significant sentences."

The Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence against Mr Keeling, aged 26, of Cumberbatch Avenue, Fegg Hayes. Judge Smith entered a not guilty verdict.


Read more: http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Cabbie-g ... z45j55RxYB

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Now Condliffe has been jailed for two-and-a-half years at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.



lets hope he serves all of it

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

He'll do 15 months tops.

For nicking his supper.

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IDFIMH