Man celebrating 44th birthday stole taxi driver's takings after row over £10

A man out celebrating his birthday told a taxi driver he would 'do him' before robbing his takings. Gareth Richards shoved his victim during a 'tussle' over his fare, Leeds Crown Court heard.

The 44-year-old, who was out with his girlfriend on January 24, eventually ran off with a bag which was believed to be holding £70. It followed a disagreement over the fare for a journey which lasted 'a couple of miles', the court heard.

Richards hwas taken from Wakefield to Knottingley, in West Yorkshire, and paid the driver £10. Prosecutor Duncan Ritchie said the victim had picked the pair up at around 2.30am, Yorkshire Live reports.

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Mr Ritchie said: "The arrangement, it seems, would be that the driver would wait for them to return to Wakefield. Around five minutes later, while still waiting, he was approached by the defendant. The defendant demanded change from the £10 he had previously given and he [the driver] replied that there wasn't any change due to the defendant.

"He put it that the defendant then became argumentative and said he was owed £6. The defendant then approached into the car and grabbed the bag which had his takings as a taxi driver. There was a tussle between the defendant and the driver during which the defendant pushed him and said he was going to 'do him.'

"He [the driver] took that as being a threat of violence. The defendant managed to wrestle the bag from him and run off."

It was said the bag contained around £70 in cash. The driver, who worked for a company based in Pontefract, was said to have suffered a 'slight graze'. The incident was thought to have lasted between five and 10 minutes,