Man Who Pulled Knife On Taxi Driver Gets Five Years
11th September 2008
A man who threatened a taxi driver with a large kitchen knife in a failed robbery bid has been jailed for five years.
Jason Clough, 26, was so violent when drunk he twice had to be subdued with a police stun gun, Bradford Crown Court heard today.
In another incident, he threatened to stab police officers and throw them “one by one” off a balcony, prosecutor Dave MacKay said.
Clough, of Copgrove Road, Holme Wood, Bradford, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, having an offensive weapon, assault and making threats to kill.
The court heard the robbery bid happened in April when Clough threatened 65-year-old taxi driver John Drye. He got into Mr Drye’s taxi in Leeds and pulled out a large kitchen knife.
He ordered Mr Drye to get out the car but leave the keys. Mr Drye leapt out of the vehicle, bruising his elbow, but taking the keys with him.
Clough was arrested and appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on April 28.
Mr MacKay said he was bailed, despite being in breach of a suspended sentence, against the advice of the Crown Prosecution Service.
Days later, on May 9, Clough smashed his way into the home of his former partner Suzanne Horgan, 23, in Leicester Street, East Bowling, Bradford.
He broke a window at 3.30am and climbed into the home she was sharing that night with her pregnant sister and the women’s four young children.
The police had previously been called 11 times because of Clough’s drinking and violence towards Miss Horgan, Mr MacKay said.
She picked up the phone to call for help but Clough knocked it from her hand.
He told her sister: “Get your kids and get out of the house or I’m going to kill you.”
He pushed Miss Horgan on to a bed and slapped her three times in the face, the court heard.
He threatened to kill her, grabbed her hair and held a Biro to her neck.
Mr MacKay said Miss Horgan was crying and telling him to get off.
When the police arrived, Clough threatened to stab Miss Horgan if they came into the room.
Officers forced their way in and stunned Clough with a taser because they believed he had a knife.
Mr MacKay said that in June 2006 police were called to Miss Horgan’s previous address.
Clough had a vase in one hand and an empty bottle in the other. He threatened to stab the officers and throw them “one by one” from the balcony.
Firearms officers attended and Clough pulled a 12-inch knife from the kitchen drawer.
Mr MacKay said Clough threatened: “I am going to start stabbing people,”
He was stunned with a taser and arrested.
That incident led to a nine-month jail sentence suspended for two years.
David McGonigal, Clough’s barrister, said he had never caused anyone serious physical harm.
The offences were committed when he was the worse for drink, leading to loss of temper.
Clough was not a bad man at heart and stayed out of trouble when sober.
Judge Roger Scott said taxi drivers did valuable public service and deserved to be protected by the courts.
The robbery was premeditated and Clough took a knife.
Only days later, while on bail, Clough “threatened to kill anybody that appeared on the scene”, said the judge He was tasered by the police, showing the value to the force of having such a weapon available to it.
Clough was jailed for three years for the robbery bid, plus one year and eight months for the assault and threats to kill. Four months of the suspended sentence was activated.
All the jail terms were ordered to run consecutively.
Source; (Bradford) Telegraph & Argus
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