Two men jailed for the knifepoint robbery of Taxi driver

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2I5OXoq

(Image:Elliott & Thompson)

Two men who robbed a terrified taxi driver at knifepoint have been jailed at Carlisle city’s crown court for a total of almost eight years. The court heard how Lexi Elliott and James Thompson - both aged 23 - got in their victims taxi at around 5:30am on December 11, high on cocaine and alcohol. They asked to be taken to a B&M Bargains store, but on arrival Thompson brandished a Stanley knife forcing the driver to run from the scene. They then stole his vehicle, which was found completely destroyed by fire a few hours later. In a victim statement read out in court, the victim spoke of his wife who had passed away only two years earlier, saying he was already feeling “fragile” and “already on the brink”. The court heard how the victim had memories of his final years spent with his wife stored on his mobile phone which was in the vehicle and never recovered. He said: “Being robbed at knifepoint tipped me over the edge.” He added, in relation to his missing phone, “They have taken a significant part of my life away from me.” As confirmed by the Cumbria Crack, both Elliott and Thompson were jailed for 49 months and 41 months respectively after admitting robbery and arson. Thompson also admitted being in possession of an illegal knife. Judge James Adkin told Elliott and Thompson: “It goes to show the fact that those who commit offences of knifepoint robbery can never know exactly the conditions of their victims. “You both are responsible for the lingering upset and pain that the loss of that telephone has caused.” Detective Constable Andrew Metcalf said: “I am pleased that both have been brought before the courts within months of the offence. “This was a pre-meditated attack on a person who serves the public and taken their means of income. “Today’s sentencing shows how seriously both police and the courts take such attacks and that they will not be tolerated.”

February 11, 2019 at 10:00AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT