A MAN who held a knife to a taxi driver's throat in an attempted robbery has been sentenced to two years in a young offenders' institution.

Cambridge Crown Court was told of the terrifying ordeal suffered by cabbie Phillip Douglas. The Panther taxi driver had gone to the Sir Isaac Newton pub, Castle Street, Cambridge to pick up a fare for Ely at 1.50am on Saturday, January 13.

Russell Brooks, a passenger in the taxi who was being dropped off at the pub by Mr Douglas, put a knife to this throat. Brooks, 19, told the driver he would put him in the boot of his car after he robbed him.

Mr Douglas managed to hit the accelerator and make his escape - but he sustained a five-inch cut to his throat.

Brooks, who had been drinking heavily, left his wallet in the cab and was identified and arrested.

Brooks, who was living at 222 Victoria Road, appeared at court for sentencing, having previously admitted attempted robbery.

Mark Shelley, mitigating, said Brooks had suffered domestic problems and committed offences when under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

He said the attack was "impulsive" and not premeditated and that his client accepted he would have to serve a custodial sentence.

Brooks has appeared in court 10 previous times for offences including theft and criminal damage.

Mr Recorder Hodge Malek told Brooks: "The impact on the driver must have been considerable.

"The offence involved the use of an offensive weapon. At the time you had been drinking heavily but it is not a mitigating factor."

He said he took account of his remorse and the fact he suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but neither a fine nor community order would be sufficient punishment.

Paul Clare, operations manager at Panther, told the Newsafterwards: "I am very pleased to hear this has been dealt with. As an area, Cambridge is not getting any easier to work in.

"We have had an increase in the seriousness of incidents in the last year or two.

"We were in contact with the police over this incident. They were on to this very quickly and I am pleased to see it has been dealt with in the right way."

 

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/city/2007/02/20/1a5656c0-4f87-46d7-a14e-a213fb63d106.lpf