
A man and a woman are behind bars after a frightening knifepoint robbery on a taxi driver in Gloucester.
Justin Francis, 39, and Tiffany Davis, 36, were sentenced at Bristol Crown Court after targeting their victim when he pulled into Valley Gardens last September.
Inside the car, CCTV footage caught Francis aggressively waving a blade before holding it directly to the driver’s throat.
Terrified for his life, the driver handed over £70 in cash and scrambled out of the vehicle. He later watched as Francis headed into a nearby block of flats, while Davis also left the scene.
Police eventually tracked the pair down and arrested them.
In court, both admitted to the robbery, with Francis also pleading guilty to carrying a knife in public.
Francis has been jailed for four-and-a-half years, while Davis received a four-year sentence. Both are now banned from contacting the victim for the next five years.
Detective Sergeant Jon Stokes noted that the driver was "simply carrying out his job" when he was threatened.
He added: “Davis was in on the plan and can be seen deliberately pulling down the taxi’s CCTV.
"It’s clear neither cared about the impact their actions had on their victim and the public are much safer now both are behind bars.”

Thieves are believed to have targeted the cars overnight to search for cash and valuables, hitting multiple firms and leaving self-employed drivers unable to work.

Ipswich Borough Council took the swift action after the drivers did not submit medical certificates proving they met the strict safety requirements set by the DVLA.

Fareham Borough Council has blocked two men from becoming taxi drivers after a vetting process uncovered hidden criminal convictions and a history of driving offences.

Nottingham City Council has joined forces with the Think Pink initiative to help women break into the taxi industry, where they currently make up only 6% of drivers.

The decision, reached during a licensing committee meeting on April 16, follows national guidance suggesting that cameras can be a vital tool for crime prevention.

Reading Borough Council has introduced rules that lower the maximum age for licensed vehicles from 12 down to 10 years and encourage a shift toward electric cars.

The operation involved special constables working alongside licensing officers from both Warrington Borough Council and the City of Wolverhampton Council.

The council is introducing a single fee structure to replace the old systems used in Northampton, Daventry, and South Northants.

David Brown, from Croy, attacked the 20-year-old victim in December 2023 after stopping his car in a field located between Strathpeffer and Dingwall.

Argyll and Bute Council is required by law to reassess taxi rates every 18 months, with the next set of changes scheduled to take effect in October. 

West Yorkshire Police teamed up with Bradford Council’s licensing department in February to inspect local vehicles and ensure passenger safety.

The arrest happened on March 13, after police spotted 37-year-old Ergys Rexha getting out of a private hire vehicle in Yapton to meet a customer.

An unlicensed driver and a private hire vehicle owner have been ordered to pay more than £3,000 between them following an inspection at Milton Keynes Central Railway Station.

The driver was originally issued a Fixed Penalty Notice for the act, which officials described as "both illegal and unhygienic."

Sefton licensed private hire driver has recently been before the courts after being caught plying for hire and driving without insurance

Mohammed Chowdhury, 56, of Small Heath, had his permits revoked by Tamworth Borough Council after officials decided he was no longer a "fit and proper person" to drive for the public.

The incident began on February 16 when 27-year-old Dmiko Berkley booked a ride from an address in Warrington.

The driver contacted West Norfolk Police on Tuesday afternoon, April 14, after picking up the woman in Terrington and sensing something was wrong.

Autocab, one of the world's leading taxi booking and dispatch software providers, has announced that Frans Hiemstra will join the company as the new CEO. 

A Doncaster councillor’s business will stop providing school transport for the city council following a backlash over his claims that parents "train" their children to "comply" with special education needs criteria.
