Pair robbed taxi driver and sped off in his car at 50mph with him inside
A Derby woman who robbed a taxi driver of his cash before driving his cab at 50mph through Nottingham city centre has escaped an immediate prison term. But her fellow robber and boyfriend has been jailed for an unrelated attack on her.
A trial in the summer heard how Lizzie Smith and Jake Sutherland attacked the victim after demanding he handed over his money. Smith, 28, of Allestree, then got behind the wheel and sped off with Sutherland, of Chaddesden, inside, undertaking traffic at speed and, at one point, colliding with another taxi.
Gareth Gimson, prosecuting the robbery trial at Nottingham Crown Court, said it happened on October 6, last year. He said the victim was waiting in his taxi outside the Stratford Haven pub, in West Bridgford, and the two defendants got in.
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The prosecutor said: “On any version of events it was Ms Smith who acted first in this robbery and Sutherland perfectly willingly joined the action. They said that they needed help and asked if he would give them a ride into the city centre and he agreed.
“Sutherland got in the back, Smith in the front passenger seat and (the victim) was concerned that they might not have the funds and so stopped at the local Co-op where there is a cash point and asked if they needed cash.
“They both said no so he drove them to the city centre. At around 10.45pm, they arrived at Lloyds Bank in Lower Parliament Street. Sutherland got out of the vehicle and said he was going to the cash point and, as he did so, he said to Smith ‘where’s my bank card?’”
Mr Gimson said: “Things changed immediately and she demanded that the victim hand over his cash. He told he he didn’t have any on him and she said ‘I know you have cash, don’t lie to me’ and she climbed out from the passenger seat and moved to the driver’s seat, grabbed the taxis steering wheel and attempted to take control of the taxi but she was unable to take the vehicle out of 'park' and put it into 'drive'.”
The prosecutor said, at that point, Sutherland got back into the cab while the cabbie attempted to stop his co-defendant from taking the taxi. He said: “Sutherland then effectively finished off that which Smith had started. He repeatedly punched (the victim) and then took hold of his neck, strangling him in the process.
“Sutherland was able to drag (the victim) from the driver’s seat and toward the passenger of the car. Smith got back in the driver's seat and this time managed to drive the taxi away with (the victim) still in the taxi.
“This must have been traumatising. Smith drove the vehicle onto Upper Parliament Street and through a red light. The taxi was being driven at speeds of 50mph in a 20mph limit.
“She jumped several red lights and at one point collided with another taxi. At a red light on Lower Parliament Street (the victim) took the wise choice and exited the vehicle and Sutherland and Smith drove away.”
The prosecutor said the police tracked the vehicle using ANPR to Barnby Drive in Clifton. He said the stolen taxi was located parked up with Smith and Sutherland still sitting in it and both were arrested. Mr Gimson said the vehicle registration plate from the rear of the taxi had been removed and this was found dumped in a bush next to the vehicle.
Smith, of Abbey Hill Road, pleaded guilty to robbery and was jailed for two years, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work and was disqualified from driving for two years.
Sutherland, 29, of Perth Street, took the case to trial where he was found guilty of the same charge. At a separate hearing at Derby Crown Court, he also pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful wounding and assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Smith in December, 2023.
He was handed a five-year jail sentence.