Man sentenced to jail for knifepoint robbery and threatening to kill a taxi driver in Plymouth

Image credit: Devon & Cornwall Police

A man has been jailed for two years and four months after pleading guilty to a charge of robbery on a taxi driver in Plymouth.

Tommy Bottrill pulled a knife on his victim and demanded he hand over money or risk being killed.

The attack happened on 20 February 2019, after the taxi driver picked up Bottrill and two other men at around 4am.

Enroute to their requested destination, the driver was asked to pull onto a secluded dead end road.

Bottrill then demanded that all the driver's cash be handed over, shouting "give me all your money or I will kill you".

The taxi driver handed over cash, but Bottrill continued to demand more, while brandishing a knife. The driver handed over the rest of his money which was in small change.

In an impact statement, the victim said he was still traumatised by the attack and continued to worry for his safety while driving a taxi.

Since the attack, Bottrill had served time behind bars for another offence.

Since his release he is believed to have made "great progress" in turning his life around and was a "changed man", according to his defence.

Taking everything into consideration, Judge Townsend reduced the starting point of five years down to two years and four months.

He confirmed that Bottrill would serve up half the term before being released on licence and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge.