The job was to be at least 20 miles, according to Google.
"Rob him rob him": Teen grabbed Leyland taxi driver by the throat before 'taking everything'https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire- ... n-22171714Ryan Gardner was one of four passengers in the taxi
Image: Facebook/LancsLiveA teenager who robbed a taxi driver has been sentenced to a year and four months in a young offenders institute.
Ryan Gardner, 18, was with three other people when they got in the taxi in Merlin Close, Leyland at around 11pm on December 18 2020.
The group asked to be taken to Leigh but the driver asked for payment upfront due to the distance involved.
One of the passengers handed over a bank card but when it was declined they were asked to get out of the vehicle, Claire Brocklebank, prosecuting, told Preston Crown Court.
At that point, Gardner reached across from the back seat and grabbed the driver by the throat, shouting “rob him, rob him”.
Another male went through the driver’s pockets, Ms Brocklebank said.
The group made off with the driver’s takings, as well as his personal mobile phone, his dash cam, car keys and the PDA device he used to take bookings.
“They took everything”, the driver told police.
The group scattered but returned to the cab, with Gardner telling him “give us £40 or £50 and you can have your keys back.”
Another male told the driver: “Give us the money or I’ll stab you, I’ll stab your heart.”
He appeared to have something in his hand, and a multi-tool was later found near the scene, Ms Brocklebank said.
The driver suffered bruising to his cheek and a bloodshot eye. He managed to alert the police who traced the booking call back to Gardner’s mobile phone.
In a victim statement the driver said he had worked as a cabbie for 12-13 years and had never experienced anything like this before.
He said: “I come to work to earn a living. I don’t expect to be treated like that.”
Judge Philip Parry said Gardner, of HMP Preston, has a number of previous convictions including burglary of a bed-ridden disabled man and an attempted robbery of another taxi driver.
He is currently serving a prison sentence for those matters and pleaded guilty to robbery of the taxi driver in Leyland.
Judge Parry said: “At the time you committed these offences you were in a pretty dark place psychologically speaking. You were misusing cocaine heavily.
“You were very frank with the author of the pre-sentence report that you would go out and commit offences of robbery.
“You said you were very ashamed of committing that terrible dwelling house burglary on a disabled bed-bound man.
“You said your preferred method of getting money for drugs was robbing people, including taxi drivers.”
Andrew Costello, defending, said Garner was under 22-hour lockdown in custody and hoped to be moved to a unit where he could undertake courses and training.
Judge Parry told the defendant: “I hope I don’t see you again.
"When you get out, and you will, you will still be young. Comply with the terms of your licence. There is still time to turn your back on this offending but to do that you have got to stay off the drugs and stay away from the kind of people you will be mixing with.”
The three other passengers in the taxi will stand trial for robbery next year.
Login
Register
FAQ
