'A serious danger to the public': Teenager bragged about stabbing Leeds taxi driver in the neck with a potato peeler over a £3 fare

A court heard the victim was millimetres away from suffering fatal injuries from the blow inflicted by Jordan Scholey.

Scholey, now 18, was aged 17 at the time of the attack on January 10 this year.

The teenager was among a group who called the taxi with the intention of robbing the driver of his vehicle and selling it for £2,000.

Robert Galley, prosecuting, said Scholey ordered the Amber Cars taxi at 5pm and was picked up by the driver in Armley.

The taxi then picked up two of his friends before the driver was directed to an area near to some shops where they planned to carry out the robbery.

The group decided not to rob the driver as the area was covered by CCTV cameras.

He told the passengers that he wanted £3 for the journey but one of them claimed to have lost his wallet.

Scholey carried out the attack as the driver rang through to the taxi firm base.

Mr Galley said the teenager punched the driver in the face.

The driver then saw Scholey take out a potato peeler and he stabbed the victim in the neck.

He feared he was going to die in the attack.

The driver reached over and tried to shut the rear door but Scholey ran at him and said he would kill him.

The victim drove off and managed to get to his taxi office where colleagues called police and an ambulance.

He was bleeding heavily from a two-inch deep wound to his neck.

The victim underwent an operation at Leeds General Infirmary.

Scholey was arrested after he was heard bragging about carrying out the attack on a bus shortly after the incident.

Mr Galley said: "The complainant says he was very scared and honestly felt he was going to die and panicked when he saw the amount of blood coming out of his neck."

In a victim statement to the court, the driver described how he was in pain and was off work for five months after the attack.

He has also suffered from nightmares and anxiety as a result of his ordeal. The driver said he had also suffered financially.

Scholey, of Simpson Grove, Armley, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, attempted robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.

Richard Reed, mitigating, said Scholey had been diagnosed with ADHD and has a low mental age.

He said Scholey was living a "chaotic lifestyle" and abusing alcohol in the months before the incident.

Mr Reed added: "He clearly is someone who is willing to work and receive help."

"He has expressed genuine remorse and regret."

Judge Christopher Batty imposed an extended sentence of eight years and five months after telling Scholey he considered him to pose a serious danger to the public

Scholey must serve a custodial period of four years and five months, followed by a four-year licence period.

Judge Batty said: "Even if the plan was to take his motor, he wasn't given a chance to do anything.

"He was gratuitously stabbed by you in the most vulnerable part of his body that presented itself to you.

"Fortunately he suffered a two-inch deep stab wound but nothing more serious.

"If you had stabbed him slightly one way or another, the consequences could have been catastrophic, including death.

"It is clear to me that at this moment in time you represent a serious risk of causing harm to other people.

"This was an unnecessary and gratuitous use of a weapon upon this taxi driver."

After the case, Detective Inspector James Entwistle, of Leeds District CID, said: “This was a very nasty and totally unprovoked attack on the victim, and it could easily have had more serious life-threatening consequences for him.

“Scholey was quickly identified and arrested as a result of a comprehensive investigation supported by information from members of the public.

“This case illustrates very clearly the risks and harm caused by people carrying knives.

“We hope the significant sentence Scholey has received will provide some level of reassurance to the victim and his family, and also serve as a suitable deterrent message to others about the penalties that serious knife crimes such as this will attract.”