Jail for Notts man who hijacked taxi and tried to outrun cops

Gary Morton asked to be taken to McDonald's in Bulwell at 7.10am on March 12, this year, prosecutor Lucky Thandi told Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday.

But after he began arguing with the driver, both men got out of the Toyota Auris and the driver called for help, as he thought Morton was about to attack him.

Instead, Morton jumped into the taxi and slammed the door, injuring the man's finger. He drove out of the car park shouting "that he was a gangster and he had stolen the taxi."

Police officers gave chase and Morton refused to stop, driving "with no regard for any other road users" and travelling at "high speed" on Belgrave Road.

He reversed sharply in an attempt to ram a police car and the officer had to brake to prevent a collision.

He accelerated on Commercial Road, but the police pursuit was called off after officers judged it was too dangerous to continue.

Morton was later spotted on Latham Road and began to run, shouting: "What the f*** are you doing chasing after me?"

He was PAVA sprayed and brought to the ground with the help of a member of the public.

The taxi was found with scratched bodywork, the number plates had been removed and £35 in cash had been taken.

The court heard he has 22 previous convictions for 99 offences, and recently served an eight-week sentence for threatening behaviour.

Emma Coverley, mitigating, said it was an "opportunistic" offence that happened in "the heat of the moment."

"He has no recent matters for driving and the majority of his offending were "low level matters of dishonesty," she said. "Quite what occurred in the taxi is a little bit of a mystery.”

Morton, 45, of Alfreton Road, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, assault, and driving without insurance or a licence.

Judge Steven Coupland sentenced him to 12 months in prison and banned him from driving for two and a half years and until he takes an extended re-test.

Thank you for reading this story. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on our advertisers and thus our revenues.

The Star is more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism.

You can subscribe here – www.thestar.co.uk/subscriptions – for unlimited access to Sheffield news and information online. Every subscription helps us continue providing trusted, local journalism and campaign on your behalf for our city.