A teenager who took part in the violent robbery of a taxi driver has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.
Liam Wood, 19, then carried a separate robbery on a man at a house party in Adel, Leeds, while on police bail for the first offence.
Leeds Crown Court heard Wood and two other men used “terrifying” levels of violence against the cab driver after he picked them upside McDonald’s in Leeds city centre and drove them to an address in Iveson Close, Ireland Wood.
Paul Nicholson, prosecuting, said there had been a dispute over the fare during the journey and the driver pressed the emergency button in his car as he feared he was going to be attacked.
He was punched to the side of the head several times by the by one of the men before the two passengers in the back also joined in the attack.
The driver was then punched and kicked in the ribs after he stopped the vehicle. He ran off and one of the men then drove off with the car.
Wood, of Clayton Court, Hawksworth, was arrested when police recognised CCTV images of him in McDonald’s shortly before the attack at 3.50am on January 27 this year.
The driver has suffered from depression since the attack and had been unable to return to work.
Wood carried out the second robbery at a house in Adel on March 18 this year while on police bail.
Two men restrained the victim while Wood punched him in the face before stealing his mobile phone and a chain from around his neck. Wood denied carrying out that attack but was found guilty after a trial.
Andrew Foley, mitigating, said Wood was not the “prime mover” in the robbery on the taxi driver but accepted that he did join in the assault.
He said Wood’s friend began the attack after the taxi driver asked him for his mobile phone as collateral for the fare. Mr Foley described Wood as a “bright young man” who was attending college at the time of the offences after leaving school with 10 GCSEs. The court heard Wood’s former partner had given birth to his child in May.
Judge Guy Kearl QC, told Wood: “You are plainly an intelligent young man and you have a child. It is a shame you did not consider that before these offences.”
“The violence used would have been terrifying for the taxi driver who was attacked from behind.”