Suicidal and armed robber jailed for holding minicab driver at knife pointAn armed and suicidal robber who threatened to kill a minicab driver has been jailed for four years.
In a “pre-planned” attack, 23-year-old Luke Green armed with a Stanley knife called and booked a Halifax minicab under a false name.
A Metro Car arrived at Range Court, Boothtown, Halifax, at around 8.30pm on May 5, booked under the name of ‘Adam’.
In the minicab, Green told the driver Aktar Mahmood his girlfriend would pay the fare when they reached the Sowerby Bridge destination.
Bradford Crown Court heard the driver and passenger discussed the defendant’s employment before he asked the driver to turn up Fore Lane, Sowerby Bridge.
Green then started to repeatedly punch the victim in the head.
Mr Mahmood told the defendant: “Just get out of the car if you don’t have money to pay the fare,” the court heard.
As the victim was being punched to the head, he stopped the car and removed the keys from the ignition.
Whilst sustaining blows from Green, the victim noticed the passenger was brandishing a bladed knife.
Green shouted: “Give me the keys or I will kill you,” prosecution Dale Brook told the court.
The terrified victim handed over the vehicle keys and fled the car to safety before calling the police.
The court heard a suicidal Green then drove a short distance before dumping the car and fleeing the scene.
Green, who stole a packet of cigarettes from the car and fled to his sisters who then reported the incident to the police.
The victim was taken to Calderdale Royal Hospital where he was treated for a cut to the bottom lip, bruising to the head, a swollen eye, blurred vision and a sore jaw.
Mitigation Charlotte Worsley said suicidal Green was not thinking straight at the time of the offence.
“He wanted to kill himself by crashing the car. This is a sad case where a 23-year-old has already accumulated a raft of previous convictions,” said Mrs Worsley.
The court heard the defendant’s mental health was being exacerbated by alcohol and drugs which he takes to “block-out” his difficulties.
Green committed the offence while on a community court order for harassment.
His Honor Judge Benson said: “It was a cumbersome attempt which involved an innocent person who was no doubt frightened death. The minicab driver was in a vulnerable occupation providing a service to the public. You inflicted unpleasant injuries in what was a pre-planned and serious offence.”
http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/cr ... -1-6785629
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