Taxi Driver Online

Teenager Jonathan Burrows locked up for attempted knifepoint robbery on taxi driver


A DRUNKEN teenager who tried to rob a taxi driver at knifepoint has been sentenced to 18 months’ detention.

After hearing Jonathan Burrows was well regarded and has never been in trouble before a judge said it gave him no pleasure to rule only a custodial sentence could be justified.

Judge Roberts said: "It is an absolute tragedy. You are a young man of good character, totally unsophisticated as criminality is concerned and I have read references describing you as a helpful, pleasant young man who people trust implicitly.

"You were in drink that night and tried to disguise yourself.”

Eighteen-year-old Burrows, of Oaklands Court, Clock Face, had admitted attempted robbery and possessing an offensive weapon.

Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that shortly before 2am on January 28 three men got into a taxi in Station Road, Sutton.

One of them, Burrows got into the front passenger seat.

They dropped one of them off in Gerrards Lane and when they reached Leach Lane the driver, John O'Brien, stopped to drop them off.




The rear passenger got out and Burrows, then aged 17, started to leave but then produced a five-inch long blade and demanded the driver's money.

The youngster, who tried to disguise his face by pulling up his body warmer, repeatedly demanded cash.

O'Brien told him not to be stupid but when Burrows persisted he reached over to give him some pound coins.

Mr Blasbery added: "But he also grabbed the wrist holding the knife and drove forward causing the defendant to fall backwards out of the car and Mr O'Brien drove off."

He was tracked down after police identified who had booked the cab.

When interviewed he admitted being in the taxi and said he had been carrying a knife as he had recently been threatened. But he said he could not recall trying to rob the driver.

The court heard that Mr O'Brien was not physically injured but had been psychologically affected. He suffered from sleeplessness and has been hit financially because he is now too anxious to work late weekend hours.

Tom Watson, defending, said that Burrows' behaviour had been "totally inexplicable". He suffers from epilepsy and ADHD and has been attending a CALM team for help.

Mr Watson added:"He is utterly terrified of going into custody today."

http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/9707 ... xi_driver/

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Find that hard to believe somehow.

What if the headline was teen gets his own knife shoved through his eyeball?