Taxi Driver Online

Maybe should have posted this in BIT OF FUN

A man who held up an insurance office was caught after confessing his crime to the taxi driver who drove him away from the crime scene.

Joseph Currie, 46, hailed a black cab shortly after robbing Jim Blair Insurance in Shawlands, Glasgow, with an imitation sawn off shotgun on February 28.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Currie was perspiring heavily when he climbed into the car.

The driver asked him: "What's wrong, mate? Have you just robbed a bank?" Currie replied: "Yes."

The court heard that Currie, who has three previous convictions for assault and robbery, was subsequently apprehended by the police.

His shotgun was then revealed to be two lengths of pipe tied together by tape.

The revelations emerged in a High Court hearing on Thursday in which Currie was jailed for seven years and ten months.

Judge Lord Pentland also ordered Currie, a prisoner of HMP Barlinnie, to be supervised by the authorities upon his release from prison for another five years.

Lord Pentland also ordered Currie to serve the remaining 2109 days of a sentence imposed earlier and from which he was paroled in January. This will be served consecutively to his latest sentence.

Currie had pleaded guilty to an assault and robbery charge at the High Court in Glasgow in June and sentence had been deferred for Lord Pentland to obtain reports about his character.

At the earlier hearing, the court heard how Currie told staff at Jim Blair Insurance in Kilmarnock Road, Glasgow: "I have a package for you – a sawn-off shotgun. This is not a joke. Give me money."

Minutes later Currie, from Mount Florida, Glasgow, told them: "I've been robbing banks for 20 years and I've not shot anybody yet."

The court heard that Currie made off with £2773.45 in cash and was seen walking towards Shawlands Cross.

Prosecutor Martin Macari told the court that Currie has a number of previous convictions for assault and robbery, including High Court convictions. Mr Macari said Currie threatened to shoot the staff if they failed to comply with his demands for money.

Mr Macari added: "In the days before this offence he appears to have been taking heroin and alcohol."

During the raid he also told staff: “I don't want money with dye and don't press any panic buttons."

Taxi

After the robbery Currie discarded the clothing he wore and the imitation firearm. When he was questioned by police he led them to the bin in Norfolk Street, Glasgow, where he had dumped these items.

On Thursday, defence QC Murray Macara told the court that his client was apprehended after he took a taxi from Shawlands Cross towards Glasgow City Centre.

Mr Macara said: "After getting into the taxi, the driver made a joke and asked him 'What's wrong mate? Have you just robbed a bank?' "He responded 'yes'."

Mr Macara said his client suffered from bipolar disorder and had not been taking his medication at the time of the robbery.

Mr Macara added: "He became manic. He enjoys the feeling of being manic. If he had taken his medication then he perhaps would not have committed this offence. He had spent the evening before the robbery at a party where he took alcohol and drugs."

At this juncture, Currie shouted at Lord Pentland from the dock, saying: "I'm easily led, your honour."

Passing sentence, Lord Pentland told him that he had no other option but to send him to prison.

He added: "You have pleaded guilty to an extremely serious offence. This must have been a terrifying experience for the staff there. You presented what appeared to be a sawn off shotgun and threatened to shoot them.

"You also have numerous convictions for assault and robbery. I am going to impose an extended sentence."

http://local.stv.tv/glasgow/187905-taxi ... enger-yes/

Crickey, this might be Doom, bipolar disorder off his meds and his head, goes out and pulls a heist.

FFS what happened to customer confidentiality?

This cabby could be sued for professional misconduct. He had no right to disclose the details of a private conversation with a client who had a right to confidentiality.

It astounds me how unprofessional our trade has become.

Just another example of how the taxi trade disregards the interests of customers. Hardly surprising then that our customers are voting with their feet.

And I suspect that the PH company I recently had a sojourn with would have respected this individual. It would have insisted, probably there's even a company rule for it, that no questions should be asked, the customer is paramount, he would have been assisted back out of the vehicle and sent on his merry way. And no tip for the service would have been expected, the ethos being that tips should be earned.

Though, given the nature of this customer's recent transaction, perhaps a wee bung might well have been eagerly anticipated.



Do you think the cabby, when interviewed, asked for the investigating officer's criminal and work complaints record?

Just a thought

_________________
Skull, "You are a police inspector, aren't you?"
Cab Inspector Smith, "Yes."
Skull, "So, are you going to tell Mr Taylor what his rights are?"
Smith, "And ... What rights?"

Jasbar:

I don't know about you but I signed the 'Hippocritic Oath', not the 'Hippocratic Oath', when I started driving a Hack!

The 'Hippocritic Oath' states that "Thou shall't only repeat stories that raise a laugh at the Punter's expense and shall embellish them as necessary!"

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Don't dream it ~ Be it.

I mean, aren't greedy banks fair game after all? What's the big deal?

It's not as if he stole from a real person, like mugging an old granny, is it?

So, you're on a jury and he comes before you. Surely it's a nod and a wink and a whispered under your breath, "nice one mate"



That'll be me off jury duty forever then, eh?

_________________
Skull, "You are a police inspector, aren't you?"
Cab Inspector Smith, "Yes."
Skull, "So, are you going to tell Mr Taylor what his rights are?"
Smith, "And ... What rights?"

Nice touch,

Done with you btw, nice little plan you had to send me a vile PM knowing I'd see it after a swally session


Anyway on reflection, there simply isn't any point carrying on with you because as everyone knows on here and those that read but don't post you won't be told anything, always think you are the smart guy and disguise your own failings by accusing others of what you are clearly suffering from, you need help mate, you are a Mr Bird in waiting, it's only a matter of time before you realise nobody gives a fig about what you think and you won't be able to cope with such a rejection and will take it out on innocent folks around you,

FWIW though, your take on the financial world is valid, but to compare a guy who spent a few grand to reserve the use of a hackney plate with someone who fiddled billions is simply flawed, I trust you will reply to this, but I won't be, I've said what I wanted to say to you and that is that, try to find some peace in your disturbed life and realise there's nowt any of us can do, these people have been about since commodities were invented, they will always steal it from others because their mind is driven that way, they will get theirs eventually, if it's only the thought of someone else spending all their money on their deathbed it's something to know they died in two forms of agony.

Crikey! Fancy another insurance broker keeping a weeks premiums in the office!

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Nobody told me to use my initiative. To err is human to arr is pirate.

I just love your posts, Doom. They are sort of, other worldly. Your mind seems to flit around giving us mere mortals, glimpses into dimensions you visit between “trips.”

Glad to be of service,


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88i3r7qe ... re=related