Posted on the 12th March 2026 in PHTM News
DRUNK ATTACKER JAILED AFTER STABBING CHESHIRE CABBIE AND STEALING CAB
A 39-year-old man has been sentenced to six years and eight months in prison after a "terrifying" alcohol-fuelled robbery that left a taxi driver with a stab wound to the leg.
Daniel Eckersley, also known as Daniel Bryan, appeared at Chester Crown Court following the violent incident on December 6, 2025.
The court heard that Eckersley had asked a resident to order him a cab before launching a brutal assault on the driver, punching him and eventually hijacking the vehicle.
The victim managed to call the police, reporting that he had been stabbed by his passenger.
Officers quickly located the abandoned taxi less than three miles away, discovering a knife in the footwell.
Dashcam footage recovered from the vehicle proved to be the undoing of the attacker, as the cameras recorded the moment Eckersley threatened the driver and stabbed him.
Police later tracked Eckersley to a nearby pub, where a breath test revealed he was more than three times over the legal driving limit.
Detective Constable Vickie Wallace praised the use of technology in securing the conviction, noting that "the footage from the dashcams—capturing Eckersley’s initial threats, the stabbing, and the theft of the vehicle—was vital evidence."
She added that "no one should go to work expecting to go through such a terrifying situation" and suggested the violence was "undoubtedly fuelled by the considerable amount of alcohol" the defendant had consumed.
Eckersley, who gave no comment during police interviews, pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of a knife, drink driving, and driving without insurance.
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