Taxi Driver Online

The Sentinel (Stoke)

September 20, 2007 Thursday

Teen locked up for taxi driver attack

A Teenager has been locked up for 32 months after attacking a cabbie and stealing his takings.

Jonathon Need, aged 18, of Goldenhill Road, Fenton, hit the taxi driver up to four times before making away with his keys and up to £70 in the early hours of January 19 this year.

The 28-year-old victim was knocked unconscious and suffered a cut on the back of his head during the alcohol-fuelled assault.

Need had asked to be taken to Minshall Street, Fenton, from Rileys snooker hall, on King Street, Fenton.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard yesterday Need had gone off the rails after his mother died in September 2006.

Recorder Mukhtar Hussain said he was sympathetic to the victim, adding: "He lost consciousness for a time and that must have been the most horrifying of experiences.

"When people commit robberies of this kind, against people who are providing a public service, there can be no other sentence than one of immediate custody."

Need admitted the offence in a youth court two days before he turned 18, in August. He was on bail for other offences at the time of the robbery.

The court heard Need got into the car with another unidentified man who grabbed the driver and Need punched him "three or four times".

Need was arrested at 6.10am next day.

Paul Cliff, defending, said his client had taken solace in drink and drugs to get over the loss of his mother.

He said: "He was significantly under the influence of drink and he found himself in a taxi with one of the men he had been drinking with.

"To his surprise, the other man grabbed the driver and shouted to hit him, which took him by surprise.

"Were it not for the effect of drink or that request from him, he would not be before this court today.

"He is still young enough to make changes in his life for the future."

Prosecutor David Bennett said Need told his custody sergeant a female witness had "made a big mistake" by coming forward.

Need, who has a one-year-old son, had previously been charged with violent disorder and aggravated vehicle taking.

The 112 days he has already spent in custody have been deducted from his sentence.
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Another piece of sh"t off the streets for a while .

A similair thing happened with me about 13 years ago but i was fortunate that they did not get the better of me as one of them lost their bottle and pulled on the handbrake and dived out the car.

The one who was left in the front seat realised he was left on his own and decided to leg it instead of trying to get me out of the taxi! after we had traded punches a few times.But as i say it was a battle of wits and at the same time it was the fear that drove me to protect myself.

At the end of the day we are working unsociable hours to take people home after they have enjoyed themselves,so we should not have to have this kind of sh"t happening within the taxitrade..

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=z07K29Fc15U

Maybe we should all have that framed and/or put on the tariff cards.

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IDFIMH

Not a bad idea, but how many of these scum can read?

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