Belfast taxi driver left extremely upset after robbery ordeal

A taxi driver was choked unconscious and had clumps of his hair pulled out by a customer who robbed him in east Belfast, a court has been told.

The passenger repeatedly declared he was going to kill the victim before seizing £700 in takings and personal belongings from his car.

Details emerged as 22-year-old Jamie Love was remanded in custody accused of carrying out the attack at Clara Street in the early hours of February 12.

District Judge Anne Marshall said: “Anybody who chokes another person to the degree that they pass out… people are minutes from death in those circumstances.”

Jamie Love, of Airport Road in the city, faces charges of robbery, attempted choking with intent, criminal damage, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and making threats to kill.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard police called to the scene discovered the driver with visible neck injuries and bleeding from his face and nose.

An investigative detective said: “He also had hair pulled from his head, clumps of it were found in the passenger seat of his taxi.

“The victim was extremely upset, stating that he had been choked until he passed out.”

“He stated that approximately £700 in cash, as well as his wallet and sentimental items were stolen from inside his taxi.”

The driver had collected a man from Heatherbell Street following a telephone booking and took him to another address where he got out and banged on the property until the residents shouted out “He’s not here Jamie”.

The passenger, who police claim was the defendant, returned to the taxi but was challenged about how he planned to pay for the journey.

When the driver pulled over on Clara Street after challenging him about how he planned to pay for the journey.

Love then allegedly lunged forward, pulled the dash camera from the front of the vehicle and grabbed the victim with both arms around his neck.

“He held him, choking him against the head rest until he momentarily lost consciousness,” the detective said.

“When he came round he was still being strangled, but managed to remove the seatbelt and slid out of the taxi onto Clara Street.

“While the attack was being carried out the defendant was continually telling the victim he was going to kill him.”

At one point the passenger climbed into the front of the taxi and seized a tub containing £700 in takings, five bank cards and items of sentimental value.

As local residents responded to the driver’s cries for help, the defendant allegedly made a further threat to kill him before fleeing.

Love is linked to the attack by a telephone number attributed to him which was used to make several taxi bookings in the preceding days, the court heard.

He was also named in a witness statement, with further information provided by another member of the public.

Clothing recovered from his mother’s house matched CCTV evidence and descriptions given of the robber.

Love was arrested and charged after he voluntarily attended a PSNI station on Wednesday.

During interviews he provided no comment to all questions.

Opposing bail during Thursday's hearing, the detective said: “This was a sustained, violent and completely unprovoked attack on a taxi driver trying to carry out his job.

“The nature of choking the driver from behind would suggest a mindset to assault the victim whilst not in a position to defend himself.”

Defence solicitor Ciaran Maguire argued that no-one has named his client as the alleged perpetrator.

“There is no dispute that what the victim has said is correct, it’s a serious case and this man was assaulted,” Mr Maguire acknowledged.

“The question is the identity of the person who did that, and none of the witnesses said that was Jamie Love, a person known to them.”

Refusing bail, however, Judge Marshall cited concerns about potential further offences.

“There are absolutely no conditions I could put on this defendant to manage the risk to the public,” she added.

Love was remanded in custody, to appear in court again on March 23.

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