A KNIFE thug who robbed a taxi driver then tried to steal his cab was jailed for four years yesterday.

Paul Townsend was robbed at knifepoint as he drove Colin Smart around East Kilbride.

Drug addict Smart, 33, grabbed £370 then ordered the cabbie out of the car.

Mr Townsend banged the driver's door against the thief's hand and head and then kicked him twice on the face.

Smart ran off, chased by Mr Townsend and managed to flag down a passing motorist, shouting: "I've been robbed."

He ordered the driver out of her car but she was off-duty police officer Fiona Campbell.

She joined Mr Townsend in chasing her car and soon found it crashed with Smart inside.

Smart admitted assaulting both drivers by demanding their cars, robbery at knifepoint, robbing a car and attempting to rob a car.

He also pled guilty to robbing another cabbie earlier that day on June 11 last year.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/news-feed/2008/05/16/4-years-for-taxi-robber-86908-20419064/