A pair of youths who carried out a knife point robbery of a taxi driver have walked free from court after turning their lives around since committing the offence.

Linden Hughf and Macauley Charlton lured the driver to a housing estate before one climbed in the back of the cab and the other brandished a weapon and demanded his mobile phone, cash and car keys.

The pair, both now 20, were teenagers at the time of the offence almost three years ago got ‘more than they bargained for’ when the driver fought back, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Uzma Khan, prosecuting, said Charlton lunged at the driver with a weapon in his hand but the victim managed to deliver several blows to his attacker while suffering injuries to his left hand caused by the slashing blade.

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Hughf grabbed the driver’s money bag, mobile phone and car keys, while his accomplice was attacking their target.

The pair were later arrested by police after they traced the mobile phone call used to lure the taxi to Homerton Road, in Middlesbrough.

Miss Khan said Charlton had a cut to his eye, which he suffered during the robbery, when he was detained by officers. A screwdriver was also seized from the defendants.

In a victim impact statement, the taxi driver said his earnings had been impacted as a result of the robbery as he no longer felt safe working at night and has been forced to quit college as well.

Hughf, of Mosedale Road, Middlesbrough, and Charlton, of Ellesmere Walk, Middlesbrough, both pleaded guilty to the robbery which took place on January 16, 2020.

Jonathan Walker, representing Hughf, said his client had turned his life around since the robbery in January 2020.

He added: “He is now a hardworking, positive man caring for his family and those close to him.”

Gary Wood, representing Charlton, said the father-of-two had transformed his lifestyle following a stint in custody for another offence and had worked as a Covid tester throughout the pandemic when he was released.

Judge James Brown told the pair he had accounted for the fact they were teenagers at the time of the offence and could have been sentenced as juveniles if the case hadn’t been delayed for almost three years.

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Hughf was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for two years while Charlton was sentenced to 16 months in custody, again suspended for two years.

Addressing the pair, he said: “If you breach this order, you will both be going to prison.”

They were both ordered to pay £250 each in compensation to the taxi driver, to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and attend 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He added: “Why should he (the taxi driver) be out of pocket and be put in this position due to your behaviour.”