A JUDGE has jailed an armed robber for four years after hearing how he held a knife to the cheek of a terrified taxi driver.

Bradford Crown Court heard that the unsuspecting victim had driven to School Close, Halifax, at about 9am on April 2, 2022 in order to pick up three men including 27-year-old Connor Dewhirst.

Prosecutor Laura McBride told the court that Dewhirst got in the front passenger seat while the other two men, including one holding a beer bottle, got in the back of the taxi.

“Suddenly the defendant produced a knife, placed it on his cheek, demanded money and threatened to kill him,” said Miss McBride.

“He continued to hold the knife to his cheek and caused a small cut.”

Fortunately the taxi driver did not have his seatbelt on and he was able to get out the taxi and shout for help.

Two female witnesses alerted the police and Dewhirst eventually fled with some cash and a PDA system worth £150.

The taxi driver later picked out Dewhirst during an identification procedure and in his victim impact statement he described how the attack had left him suffering nightmares for months.

Miss McBride said the complainant had been unable to sleep and he had taken three weeks off work.

During the incident the taxi had rolled backwards into a garage and the repair bill was put at £1200.

Dewhirst, of Plymouth Grove, Halifax, pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a bladed article.

Barrister Charles Blatchford, for Dewhirst, said his client had suffered PTSD after seeing a cellmate self-harming while he was serving a jail sentence in 2019.

He said Dewhirst had been “self-medicating” with alcohol and drugs and the night before the robbery he had consumed significant amounts of drugs and alcohol in the company of two older men.

But he said Dewhirst was now making determined efforts to turn his life around and he was not someone without hope.

In a letter he read to the judge himself Dewhirst expressed his remorse for the offence and blamed the “cocktail” of drugs and alcohol for his out of character behaviour.

“I am deeply sorry for my actions,” he said.

Judge Ahmed Nadim told Dewhirst that people like taxi drivers provided an important and valuable public service and they were vulnerable to such attacks.

“Therefore it is in the public policy interest that sentences be passed that are designed to protect such vulnerable victims,” he told Dewhirst.

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