Man jailed for Newcastle taxi driver attack

A man has recieved a 4 year jail sentence after attacking a taxi driver with a noxious substance.

The 47 year old cabby was attacked in Grey Street on July 26 outside Fitzgeralds wine bar after asking Alan Thomas 24 from Elswick to return an ash tray that he had attempted to steal from one of the tables outside the wine bar.

Thomas responded by taking a bottle out of his bag and squirting a noxious substance into the drivers face. The driver recieved no permanemt damage due to the swift actions of passers by.  

Chief Inspector Paul Knox, of Northumbria Police, said: “This was a cowardly attack on a taxi driver and Thomas clearly deserves this prison sentence. The court has shown that those who use such weapons should be put behind bars, to protect the public from further harm.” 

Northumbria Police have recorded 32 acid attacks in 2016 and since 2015 there have been 30 people charged with offences concerning attacks using noxious substances being used in various acts of criminal activity.