Six-inch knife held to taxi driver's throat during robbery
A SCUNTHORPE teenager has been locked up for a total of six-and-a-half years for robbery and assault with intent to rob.
Aiden Pinder, 17, of Spencer Avenue, admitted the offences, which included the robbery of a taxi driver.
The driver, Rasha Khan, was held at knifepoint just three days after Pinder was released on police bail following his arrest for assault with the intention of robbing of a teenager.
The teenager's jaw was broken in two places in the attack. That offence, on September 26 last year, was committed just two days after Pinder had been released from a young offender’s institution for assault.
At Grimsby Crown Court, Judge David Tremberg said Pinder had caused “enduring physical and psychological harm” to his innocent victims. No Section 39 order preventing naming Pinder was imposed during the court sentencing or previous hearings.
The court heard the defendant already had 14 convictions for 26 offences, including theft, assault and dishonesty.
Prosecuting, Andrew Wilson said Pinder’s first victim was a 17-year-old glass collector who was walking home from work at The Light in Scunthorpe’s Oswald Road.
At 3am on September 26 last year the teenager was walking away from a Murco garage with his girlfriend where they had bought coke and crisps.
They were approached by Pinder who demanded the teenager search his pockets for anything he could steal. When the teenager refused he punched him.
The assault caused two breaks to his jaw.
The injury resulted in him requiring a metal plate to be inserted in his jaw.
The victim later told police he had resigned from his bar job because he did not want to walk the streets at night.
Reading the victim impact statement, Mr Wilson said the once happy-go-lucky teenager had lost all self-confidence and was nervous about going out after dark. He said he suffered nightmares and mood swings.
Police identified Pinder from CCTV.
He was arrested on October 19. Three days after his release on police bail he and another un-named man were taken by taxi from Digby Street to the Sainsbury’s store.
Mr Khan was driving when one of the passengers in the back seat put his arm around his neck and held a six-inch knife to his throat.
The passengers demanded money.
The driver slammed on his brakes which dislodged the hold the knifeman had on him.
He jumped out of the car but was pursued by Pinder who caught up while the other man remained in the taxi. Pinder then punched Mr Khan who shouted towards people around the Sainsbury's car park urging them to call the police.
That led to Pinder returning to the car and he and his mate grabbed £30 in change from the cab and fled.
In his statement Mr Khan said he felt “lucky-to-be-alive”.
For Pinder, Matthew Donkin said his client had a problem with alcohol and did not recall the offences.
He was jailed for three-and-a-half years for the attack and three years for robbing the taxi driver.
source:
http://www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk/news/
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