The Coalville trio who tried to rob cash-less Uber driverhttps://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news ... ed-9247154
Police have released the mugshots of three people who tried to force the Asian driver of cash-less Uber taxi to give them money. The driver was racially abused and beaten up by one of the three.
The drunken trio, brothers Shane and Joseph Woolley and Joseph's girlfriend Louise Horrobin, approached the car in Bakewell Street, Coalville. They jointly tried to rob the driver, demanding money, but because Ubers only use online payments he did not have any cash on him.
The ringleader, Shane Woolley, tried to force the driver to get cash from a cash machine, but he was unable to because the trio had stolen the driver's wallet, containing his bank card, and then thrown it away.
The three already had 90 previous offences between them when they carried out the robbery at about 1.30am on Wednesday, March 29, last year. Leicester Crown Court heard on Thursday, April 18, that the whole thing, including an audio recording, was caught on CCTV.
The driver told Shane Woolley, "Alright, mate?", and was punched in the face. Shane Woolley repeatedly punched the man while demanding money, telling him: "Give me your ******* money now or I'll batter you". The driver explained Ubers were booked online and no cash was involved.
Using an offensive term about Asian people, Shane Woolley added: "All you ***** have money, where the **** is it?" The other two defendants began searching the vehicle and the driver's wallet for cash, with Joseph Woolley climbing into the front passenger seat to look.
After some time, Shane Woolley got into the driver's seat and drove up the road, leaving the Uber driver behind, while the other two robbers walked away empty-handed. But Shane Woolley changed his mind and returned to the Uber driver and threatened him to get into the car with him so they could go to a cashpoint.
Shane Woolley drove him to the town's Morrisons supermarket, where Shane Woolley discovered the victim did not have his wallet with his cash card in it. Shane Woolley then drove the Uber driver all the way back to Bakewell Street, and, while making threats, forced him to help him search the ground for the wallet.
The Uber driver started screaming for help, and Shane Woolley repeatedly punched him, knocked him to the ground and kicked him in the ribs before fleeing the scene, 12 minutes after the incident first began. The victim was left covered in blood from the many wounds to his face. All three robbers were arrested the next day.
The court heard that Horrobin, 36, of Melbourne Street, Coalville, had 43 previous offences on her record. Joseph Woolley, 38, of the same address had 12 previous offences while his brother Shane Woolley, 31, of Dalkeith Walk, Thringstone, had 35 offences on his record.
Shane Woolley admitted robbery and attempted robbery, while the other two had each admitted attempted robbery. Judge Philip Head, sentencing the trio, described the incident as a "really nasty attack on a vulnerable taxi driver" and as a joint enterprise between the three.
Shane Woolley was jailed for 64 months, Joseph Woolley was sentenced for 43 months and Horrobin was jailed for 30 months. All three will serve half their sentences, minus the time they have already spent in custody since last year.
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