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Derby Evening Telegraph
June 21, 2007 Thursday
Prison for robber who preyed on taxi drivers
A Robber who attacked three taxi drivers with a knife in Derby, causing one to fear for his life, has been jailed indefinitely.
Jobless Wayne Birkinshaw was yesterday locked up for a minimum of two years and 10 months. But under the terms of his sentence, he will be freed only when the parole board is satisfied he is no longer a risk to the public.
Birkinshaw, 19, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to robbing taxi driver Ghuzenfar Dar at knifepoint on April 16. He admitted the same charge against cabbie Mohammed Hanif, whom he robbed two days later.
James Allen, prosecuting, told Derby Crown Court that Birkinshaw hired Mr Dar's taxi at 11.30pm on April 16, asking to go to Spondon. On the way he directed him to a dead-end street in Chaddesden, where Birkinshaw pulled out a knife. He cut Mr Dar's right cheek, called him racist names and demanded money. As he tried to protect himself, Mr Dar's right hand was also cut.
Birkinshaw ran off with about £100 of takings.
On April 18, Birkinshaw called Mr Hanif's taxi, saying he wanted to go to Sinfin but instead directed him to a cul-de-sac, where he punched Mr Hanif, knocking off his glasses.
Mr Allen said Birkinshaw then pulled out a knife before demanding cash.
Mr Allen said: "Mr Hanif refused and struggled with the defendant but was absolutely petrified he would be stabbed by the knife. He described it as coming closer and closer."
Eventually, Mr Hanif got out of the cab and ran to a house to get help - but was chased by Birkinshaw and stabbed in the neck. Birkinshaw snatched a cash box containing £102 but was caught soon after, telling officers he was "a nasty individual, and evil."
Judge Abbas Mithani said taxi drivers were in vulnerable jobs and needed the protection of the courts. The court heard that one of Birkinshaw's victims felt he would have to stop working at night but had to keep supporting his family.
The judge told Birkinshaw: "The victim was scarred but relieved you had not killed him."
The judge also took into account the knife robbery of a taxi driver on March 2 and another robbery and burglary of a flat in Hartington Street, Derby.
Taxi companies in the city welcomed the sentence.
Gary Matkin, director of Chads Cars in Wiltshire Road, Chaddesden, said: "Hopefully, this will be a deterrent and let people know taxi drivers aren't fair game."
Marilyn Barry is a supervisor at Western Cars in Osmaston Road. She said: "This is very good news. I have worked here for 20 years and the number of attacks has definitely risen in recent years."
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