Slightly odd that there's zero detail on what the assault on the driver actually amounted to, or whether he needed hospital treatment etc. But presumably must have been a reasonable level of violence in view of the sentence, since the theft of the PDA etc would hardly warrant four-and-a-half years in jail?
Normally when words like 'savage' and 'brutal' used to describe an assault there's some description of what actually happened, but nothing here.
Callous thug Stephen Small viciously attacked taxi driver and tried to set cab on fire after refusing to pay fare in Stourbridgehttps://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black- ... y-16126693Stephen Small has been jailed for four-and-a-half years for his savage attack on a taxi driver in Dudley
Image: Birmingham MailA Dudley man launched a savage and callous attack on a taxi driver after refusing to pay him.
Stephen Small, along with another man who got into the cab in the town centre in Stourbridge, asked to be taken to a petrol station, then on to Small's home on Hallchurch Road.
The violent 22-year-old refused to pay the fare on arrival and subsequently attacked the driver, stealing his PDA device and cash from his pocket.
He then tried to set the vehicle ablaze.
A witness called police who then launched an investigation to find Small. He has since been jailed for four-and-a-half years for his brutal offences.
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "A man has been jailed for four-and-a-half years for assaulting a taxi driver in 2017.
"The driver picked up Stephen Small, aged 22, and another man in Stourbridge town centre, and drove the them to a nearby petrol station on 3 February.
"They asked to be taken to Small ’s address on Hallchurch Road, Dudley but on arrival they refused to pay the full fare.
"Stephen Small then launched an attack on the 44-year-old taxi driver, stole his PDA device, took money from his pocket, and even tried to set the taxi on fire.
"A passer-by witnessed the assault and called police.
"An investigation was launched, and CCTV identified Small as the prime suspect. He was subsequently arrested and charged with robbery.
"He was sentenced last Tuesday (2 April) after being found guilty."