Man jailed for attack on taxi driver in Newton-le-Willows

He was trapped in his car by them pulling his seatbelt tight around his neck while one tried to jab at his eyes with a screwdriver.

They eventually pulled him from the vehicle and kicked and punched him before he was able to flee the scene.

One of the attackers, drunken Darren Jacobs, who was accompanied by a woman, Toni Nally, then drove off in the car and after driving it erratically it crashed into a wall.

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The taxi driver, Abidul Islam, was off work for five weeks and as his car was written off he has only been able to work part time since in hired vehicles and is £15,000 out of pocket.

Jailing Jacobs, 35, for seven and a half years Judge Stuart Driver, KC, said, “You were clearly intoxicated and crashed the vehicle. You are a long-term addict of Class A drugs.”

He pointed out he has 70 previous convictions, including some for violence, and had a suspended sentence for affray hanging over him at the time of the robbery about midnight January 30, 2021.

Ben Jones, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that the taxi was summoned to Catherine Way, Newton-le-Willows by Jacobs using Nally’s mobile phone.

Jacobs and an unidentified man, who is still wanted by the police, got in the rear seat and Mr Islam became concerned as they were unsure of their destination and asked them to pay up front.

After going to a cash point the other man came back and said he would not get paid till next week and asked for credit.

“He refused and this caused Jacobs beginning to call him a ‘f…ing d….head’ and pulling his seat belt tightly around his neck and he was unable to move,” said Mr Jones.

The other man started jabbing at his head with a screwdriver.

“Mr Islam thought he was trying to stab him in his eyes. He described Jacobs putting his hand over the victim’s mouth trying to stop him shouting for help.

“Mr Islam described trying to fight them both off and desperately trying to get out of the taxi and release the seatbelt. Jacobs was consistently pulling him back using the seatbelt.”

Liverpool Crown Court (Image: Stock)

Mr Jones said that the two men then pulled him from his vehicle and began assaulting him by kicking and punching him before he was able to run away to call for help.

The unidentified man also left the scene and Jacobs and 38-year-old Nally got in the taxi and Jacobs drove it off.

“CCTV shows the taxi being driven erratically until it eventually crashes into the wall of a private residence causing some damage to the wall and a substantial amount of damage to the taxi,” said Mr Jones.

In a victim impact statement Mr Islam said that his four-year-old daughter had been traumatised at seeing his injured face.

He told how he could not afford to buy a new car and he had to use the insurance payout to pay off friends and relatives from whom he had had to borrow money while not working.

He said he is now scared picking up customers especially at night as he is worried something similar might happen again. He struggles to sleep and has nightmares. 

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Jacobs, of Tully Avenue, Newton-le-Willows, pleaded guilty to robbery, aggravated burglary and two shoplifting offences. He was banned from driving for eight years.

Nally, of the same address, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking as a passenger.

Michael Hagerty, defending, said that Jacobs had a difficult childhood and after his grandparents, who brought him up, died “he slid into alcohol and drug abuse and his mental health deteriorated.”

He suffers from post traumatic stress disorder and made a serious attempt on his life by hanging a couple of months ago, he added.

Judge Driver imposed a 12 month community order on Nally, who has previous convictions for dishonesty, and ordered her to carry out 20 days rehabilitation activities and banned her from driving for 12 months.

He said she is a long-term drug addict and has very poor mental health.

“I’m going to give you a chance,” he said.