Whitley Bay knifeman left with fractured elbows after trying to rob two taxi drivers
Two taxi drivers were subjected to terrifying knifepoint ordeals by a drug addict desperate for cash.
Philip Robinson burst through the open window of one cab brandishing a knife when the driver refused to give him a lift. Having got into another taxi, he then pretended to be poorly before pulling the blade on him.
That driver accelerated away while Robinson was half in and half out of the car, causing him to fall out and fracture both elbows. Now the 34-year-old, who had earlier made threats to people at a Metro station, has been jailed at Newcastle Crown Court.
The first offence happened shortly after midnight on August 25 when a group of friends were confronted by Robinson at Whitley Bay Metro Station. They were laughing and joking among themselves and he began shouting, thinking they were laughing at him. He then made a stab threat and was seen to have a knife in his pocket, leaving one of the women scared to use the Metro.
A short time later, around 12.20am, a taxi driver on Whitley Road, Whitley Bay, was waiting to receive a job from his office when Robinson approached him, asking to be taken to Tynemouth. He was told he would have to make a booking through the office.
An upset female then came on the scene and asked for a lift but was told the same as Robinson. Kevin Wardlaw, prosecuting, said while that interaction was happening: "The defendant climbed through the open front passenger window up to his waist and held a knife to him and threatened to stab him unless he gave him money.
The victim tried to record what was happening on his phone but Robinson withdrew, before repeatedly banging on the window then slashing a tyre of the taxi as the driver made off. The victim was left shaken.
Around an hour later, Robinson approached another taxi outside The Fire Station pub, on Whitley Road, again asking to be taken to Tynemouth, which he agreed to do. Mr Wardlaw said: "Within a minute, the defendant told him to stop the car because he was feeling sick.
"The defendant opened the door, put his left foot on the road and pretended to be sick before turning to him pointing a knife towards him, demanding he gave him money. The victim panicked and told him to get out and said he had cameras in his taxi but the defendant replied 'I'm not bothered, if you don't give me money I will hit you."
Robinson was half in and half out of the car so the taxi driver accelerated away, causing him to fall out of the car and he fractured both elbows. In a victim impact statement, the cabbie said: "The incident made me very nervous. It felt very dangerous."
Robinson was arrested after CCTV was circulated in the Press and his family contacted him, telling him to hand himself in, which he did. He had, in the meantime, dyed his hair to change his appearance and evade police.
The 34-year-old, of Percy Road, Whitley Bay, whose only previous conviction is for drink driving, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted robbery, possessing a bladed article and criminal damage. He was jailed for four years.
Matthew Purves, defending, said Robinson had fallen into drug addiction after the tragedy of losing two babies. The court heard he behaved out of character and is not usually a violent person. He wrote a letter apologising to the victims and vowing to stay off drugs.
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