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Posted on the 21st May 2025 in PHTM News
MAN JAILED FOR 11 YEARS FOR KNIFEPOINT TAXI ROBBERY AND ASSAULT ON ELDERLY MAN
A man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for a terrifying knife-point robbery of a taxi driver and a separate assault on an elderly man in St Ives.
Adam McDonnell, 30, of no fixed address, received the sentence at Cambridge Crown Court on May 14, along with an extended five-year licence period.
The court heard details of a harrowing incident on December 13, when McDonnell attacked a 53-year-old taxi driver parked in London Road, St Ives, just before 7am. McDonnell held a knife to the driver's throat, demanding money.
He then forced the driver into the rear of the taxi, stole his mobile phone and cigarettes, and again threatened him with the knife while demanding more cash. As the victim raised his hands to protect himself, McDonnell began slashing his hands.
The quick-thinking driver managed to tell McDonnell there was money in the boot. When McDonnell exited the vehicle to look, the driver locked himself inside. Enraged, McDonnell smashed the car windows to regain entry and ultimately stole £250.
The driver then escaped and ran to a nearby house for help. Police later located McDonnell hiding in the loft of a nearby home, still wearing his blood-splattered clothes.
In a separate incident on September 3, McDonnell, wearing a balaclava, assaulted an 85-year-old man sitting on a bench in Berman Park, St Ives. He punched the man in the face and stole his drone. McDonnell was later arrested in the town centre with the stolen drone in his backpack.
Detective Constable Kieran Wickens, who investigated the cases, stated: "The taxi driver genuinely feared he was going to be stabbed to death in his taxi."
McDonnell pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a knife in a public place. A charge of grievous bodily harm with intent will lie on file. Police described both victims as having a "terrifying experience" at McDonnell's hands.
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