Taxi Driver Online

Man jailed for knife attack on taxi driver

A man who cut a taxi drivers face with a knife has been jailed. Colin James Shippam, aged 51, of no fixed address, admitted one count of Section 18 Assault at Bolton Crown Court. He was sentenced yesterday to four years in prison. He will be on licence for a further five years when he is released.

In the early hours of Saturday July 4 2009, the victim was driving his taxi along Rochdale Old Road, Bury, when he was flagged down by Shippam. Shippam was covered in blood, having been injured in an earlier incident at the Fairfax pub, and asked to be taken to Kingfisher Drive. When the victim got to the destination Shippam demanded cash before lunging at him with a flick knife. He slashed the man's face and punched him about the head.

The driver struggled with Shippam and sounded his horn to raise the alarm. The victim then managed to drive off and call police, who arrested Shippam at the scene.

Detective Constable Craig Wallace, of Bury CID, said: "The victim saw Shippam injured and has stopped to give him a ride. "Instead of receiving any thanks or payment he has been subjected to a violent and completely unprovoked assault. "Shippam clearly has no regard for other people's welfare and today's sentence reflects the severity of the offence."

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