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PostPosted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 10:28 pm 
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Barrow man jailed for robbing taxi at knifepoint

A BARROW taxi driver says he has trouble sleeping after a terrifying knifepoint robbery.

Sean Walker, 34, was high on drink and drugs when he got into the passenger seat of the cab in Telford Street, Barrow, on November 27, a Preston Crown Court heard.

The driver, Stephen Golding, thought he was picking up a fare, but when Walker pulled an eight inch knife from his sleeve, swore at him and said 'give me your money', he realised he was being robbed.

In a victim personal statement, Mr Golding said he was nervous about working as a result of the robbery, which has had a financial impact on his family, as he is self employed.

He is anxious and thinks about the robbery at night, affecting his sleep.

His passenger Lauren Hunter, who had a two-year-old child with her and was pregnant, has nightmares thinking about what happened in the cab, with her young daughter sitting by her side. The robbery has had a knock-on effect on her ability to work and function day-to-day.

Speaking after Walker was jailed for four years, Mr Golding said: "I am relieved. Lauren and I are just glad he got a prison sentence.

"Hopefully he will have time to reflect on on what he did and how it has affected us as the victims.

“I am just glad it is over but I am angry that it even happened in the first place to be honest. Before this I felt safe in Barrow, but now I don’t.”

The court heard Ms Hunter ran from the taxi and into her house when Walker threatened Mr Golding with the knife.

Mr Golding ran after them and took refuge in the house.

The woman recognised Walker and called the police, giving them his name and address.

When officers went to the house in Smeaton Street they found a River Island purse and a bank card which Mr Golding said had been left in the cab by a previous passenger.

Fortunately Mr Golding’s takings were safely in his cash belt when he fled the cab.

Walker pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a bladed article and appeared at Preston Crown Court to be sentenced.

The court heard the incident was 'wholly out of character' for Walker, who was struggling with the upcoming Christmas period.

His brother died in December, a number of years previously, and he would not be seeing his own child, the court heard.

On November 27 he had taken Valium and alcohol and was looking for cocaine.

He has written letters to both his victims to apologise and show his remorse.

Judge Philip Parry, sentencing, said: “It is what every taxi driver fears the most, that they will be robbed at some point of their takings, and they are even more fearful that they will be robbed by someone in possession of a weapon, and that is what you did on that day.

“You were wandering the streets with a knife up your sleeve but I accept your remorse is genuine.”

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PostPosted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 10:30 pm 
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The driver, Stephen Golding, thought he was picking up a fare, but when Walker pulled an eight inch knife from his sleeve, swore at him and said 'give me your money', he realised he was being robbed.

No fooling him. 8-[

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PostPosted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 11:18 pm 
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When officers went to the house in Smeaton Street they found a River Island purse and a bank card which Mr Golding said had been left in the cab by a previous passenger.

Fortunately Mr Golding’s takings were safely in his cash belt when he fled the cab.


Well that's odd - the driver lost no money, but the robber took a purse and bank card that just happened to have been left by a previous passenger :-s

Wonder where the purse and bank card were - did the robber just help himself to them, or did the driver offer them up from where he'd put them for safe-keeping? 8-[

Also odd that there was another passenger in the car at the time. Not that that means anything, just unusual circumstances.

In fact had one of them the other night, just loaded up with two female students when this male student barged in from nowhere, off his head on drink (or drugs). The females scarpered, and luckily he left without incident when I ordered him out =;

In fact, I thought he'd done me a favour, because it was a half-mile run, but unfortunately the driver who took the females was back behind me on the rank before I'd even got another fare. And when I eventually got a fare, don't think it was much better than the one I lost, and the other driver got one just after me. So effectively he ended up getting two fares to my one :evil:


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PostPosted: Sun Feb 09, 2020 4:19 pm 
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and the other driver got one just after me

Maybe it was the male smack head.

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