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PostPosted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 9:07 am 
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A Delta passenger screamed at a cabbie to ‘f****** drive lad’ as he was brutally attacked by two men wielding a hammer and pliers.

On board cameras captured an unidentified man and 24-year-old Daniel Leith smashing a window on the cab and landing “sickening” blows on the passenger, who refused to speak to police.

Terrified private hire driver Michael Hesketh had been blocked in by Leith, who was driving a black Ford Focus, on Townsend Avenue in Walton, late on April 30.

Mr Hesketh’s passenger was struck to the head with the hammer, wielded by the unidentified man, and hit in the back by Leith, who was armed with pliers, before managing to escape on foot.

Leith, of Landford Avenue in Walton, was jailed for two years at Liverpool Crown Court today after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm, dangerous driving and possession of an offensive weapon.

Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, said Mr Hesketh had pulled into Stainburn Avenue to drop the victim off, when the Ford Focus began following him and flashing its headlights.

He said: “At this point the Ford Focus pulled in front of the taxi on Sedgemoor Road, near the junction with Townsend Avenue, and the front passenger door opened and a male got out of the vehicle with a hammer.

“The passenger in the taxi shouted at Mr Hesketh to reverse, which he did. The male stood on Sedgemoor Road with the hammer then got back into the Focus which reversed, following the taxi onto Townsend Avenue.”

Mr Blasbery played CCTV footage from the taxi, which showed the passenger shouting: “Don’t let them get you, reverse the f****** car lad.”

Mr Hesketh could be heard shouting: “I can’t he’s in the way.”

The footage showed the second suspect, who has not been traced, approach the rear of the taxi and smash the passenger window with the hammer, as Mr Hesketh shouted: ‘f****** hell’.

The passenger can be seen desperately trying to hold the door closed but the attacker pulled it open and launched a series of blows, one of which audibly connected with the back of his head.

Leith, who could be seen opening the boot of his Focus to retrieve the pliers, then opened the opposite door and launched at least two blows on the man before he managed to escape.

The footage continued, capturing the audibly terrified Mr Hesketh breathing heavily and telling his control room about the incident.

But his encounter with the attackers continued as they pull up to his car and say: “We’ll get you a new window, just no police.”

Mr Hesketh is offered £60 but replies: “That won’t be enough.

The men can be heard saying: “Give us your number you’ll have a new window tomorrow.”

The cabbie then said: “I’m not going to give you my number, I’m sh****** myself here, just leave it.”

Mr Blasbery said Mr Hesketh did not wish to give evidence due to fear of reprisals.

The passenger in the vehicle, who was not named in court, was identified by police but refused to give a statement and even claimed he had not been injured, despite blood being found in the taxi.

Paul Thompson, defending, said his client had only offered limited information for the reasons behind the attack, claiming the victim had been involved in “activity” with one of Leith’s female relatives.

He said: “In the area that he comes from, those who he associates with, and those who live in the area, regard reporting of the type of issues that motivated this offence to the police as being a grass, if I use the colloquialism.

“He and his colleague took the law into their own hands.”

Mr Thompson said the defendant had a light record and had acted “out of character.”

Judge Elizabeth Nicholls, passing sentence, told Leith: “You casually went to the boot of your vehicle, got out a weapon and began striking blows on the passenger.

“There can be no doubt this was a planned, brutal and determined attack.”

Leith was also banned from driving for 23 months.

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 6:47 pm 
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Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:30 pm
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Location: 1066 Country
No CCTV.

No conviction.

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