Yahoo News North Tyneside taxi driver jabbed with corkscrew and threatened with knife during terrifying robbery
A taxi driver fled from his cab with a shoe missing after being attacked with corkscrew and threatened with a knife during a terrifying robbery.
The taxi driver was waiting to pick up a fare near Palmersville Metro station, in North Tyneside, around 9pm on April 23 last year when he was approached by the David Ure, Wayne Bellerby and Shannon Tait, who asked him to take them to Forest Hall. He said he was unable to as he was waiting for a customer.
At that point Ure tried to snatch his car keys and Bellerby pushed a knife up to his neck. Ure then produced a corkscrew and jabbed his hand, causing a number of cuts.
Newcastle Crown Court heard both men were shouting that if the taxi driver didn't give them the car keys, he would be stabbed. The victim took the keys and rolled over to the passenger side, losing a shoe in the process, before running to the Metro station to press an emergency button to summon help.
When he looked back, the trio were all in his car, helping themselves to valuables, including phones, a card reader, a dash cam and his wallet. He contacted his employer, who tracked his stolen phone to the nearby Metro station and when police attended, they caught Ure and Tait, who were in possession of some of the stolen property.
Bellerby had gone in a different direction and later that evening attended Innisfree Social Club, in Longbenton. Outside the club, he assaulted another man by striking him repeatedly until he fell backwards and struck his head on a brick pillar, losing consciousness for a time and falling face forward onto the pavement. When another man intervened, Bellerby threatened him with a knife by showing it to him in his waistband.
Ure, 43, of Shields Road, Byker, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to robbery, possessing a bladed article and possessing amphetamine. Tait, 31, of Dunstanburgh Road, Byker, Newcastle, admitted robbery and Bellerby, 42, of no fixed address, was convicted after a trial of robbery, possessing a bladed article, assault, threatening with a blade and possessing a blade and diazepam and cannabis.
Ure was jailed for four-and-a-half years, Tait got five years and Bellerby got seven years. Judge Tim Gittins said the robbery "must have been absolutely terrifying" for the victim.
David Callan, for Bellerby, said: "He is sorry for what happened." Katie Spence, for Tait, said she was remorseful.
Rachel Hedworth, for Ure, said he is remorseful and that the offence happened on the spur of the moment. She added that the underlying cause of his offending is his substance misuse, for which he is seeking help.
