Man who held a knife to a female taxi driver's throat during terrifying robbery sentenced to jail

A fingerprint in a stolen car led to three and a half years in prison for a man who pulled a taxi driver from their vehicle at knifepoint.

At around 10.40pm on 16 April, Harry Thompson, 33 of no fixed address, held a knife to the throat of a taxi driver in Giltway, Giltbrook after travelling in the car from Ilkeston.

He forced the driver out of the taxi and threw her to the floor before taking her mobile phone and keys. He then drove off in the taxi, leaving the victim at the side of the road.

Nottinghamshire Police quickly arrived at the scene and immediately began an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

The taxi was found in Hucknall at around 11.30pm. A forensic examination of the car led to the discovery of a fingerprint belonging to Thompson.

Thompson was then arrested and charged in connection with the incident.

He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday 3 July for robbery.

In a victim impact statement read out in court, the victim spoke of how they "don’t feel safe anymore" and how they felt they lost their dignity following the incident.

The statement finished with: “I am hopeful that as time goes on I will start to feel better about it, think about it less and get my confidence back. I just hope the person responsible realises what an impact his actions that night have had on me.”

Detective Sergeant Mark Shaw, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This was a completely senseless attack. Excellent policing immediately after the incident meant that we were able to quickly ascertain who was responsible and bring them before the courts.

“Knife crime and assault can have more than a physical impact on victims and we are committed to thoroughly investigating all reports of knife offences.”

Image credit: Nottinghamshire Police