JAILED: The 23-year-old who showed no remorse after attacking and robbing innocent taxi driver

In March 2018, a taxi driver, in his 40s, arrived at Lloyd Street in Whitworth to collect a passenger.

After parking up at around 11.30pm, he was attacked by four people, including 23-year-old Nathan Scott, who kicked and punched the innocent taxi driver to his face and body.

Another of the offenders was brandishing a large knife, but luckily the taxi driver managed to escape by crawling out of the vehicle.

The four offenders then jumped into the cab and attempted to steal it, but ran from the scene when they were unable to do so.

They stole the taxi driver's personal digital assistant (PDA) and his mobile phone, which contained photographs of the victim’s family. Neither device has ever been recovered.

Following a number of enquiries and a lengthy investigation, Scott, of Mosley Street, Manchester, was arrested at a property in Shawforth, Rochdale, some six months later, in September 2018.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges but following a trial at Burnley Crown Court, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery and was jailed for four and a half years.

DC Rick Whalley, of East CID, said: “This was a cowardly attack on a man just trying to do his job.

"The victim in the case was callously lured to Whitworth so he could be beaten and robbed.

“Thankfully his injuries were not as serious as they might have been.

"However, he did lose irreplaceable family photographs as a result of this crime.

“Scott showed no remorse throughout this case and even forced the victim to give evidence by denying his guilt.

“Lancashire Police will not tolerate this kind of offending and will do everything within our power to bring the perpetrators to justice.”