A man has been sentenced to five years and seven months in jail for robbing a taxi driver at knifepoint in Gloucestershire. James Smith, 38, previously residing in Cheltenham, pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of a bladed article in a public place, and fraud. On January 11th around 1:40 GMT, Smith got into a taxi in River Leys wearing a mask and grabbed the driver from behind, threatening him with a knife. The driver handed over money and bank cards, one of which was used at a nearby petrol station leading to Smith’s arrest. Despite no physical harm, the victim was left shaken. Gloucestershire Police tracked down Smith to his home where he was found with stolen bank cards and the knife used in the incident. Smith initially denied the charges but was later sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court on March 5th. Investigating officer Michael Harvey expressed satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing the distress caused to the taxi driver.
