TWO men have been warned by a judge that jail is “inevitable” after a taxi driver was robbed at knifepoint in Carlisle.
James Mark Thompson and Lexi Elliott, both aged 23, appeared at the city’s crown court today (TUES) in connection with crimes committed on December 11 last year.
Cumbria police said at the time that officers had been called at 5-45am following the report of a knifepoint robbery of a taxi in the Wigton Road area of Carlisle, close to B&M Bargains.
Nobody was hurt during that incident. The taxi – a Skoda Octavia – was later found burnt out and abandoned in the Cummersdale area.
In court this morning, Thompson and Elliott admitted both robbing the taxi driver of the Skoda, and a second charge of arson. In addition, Thompson pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a knife in a public place.
Judge James Adkin adjourned the case for the preparation of background reports on the two defendants; and to give the taxi driver a chance to speak about the impact of their crime on him.
Thompson and Elliott, both of addresses at Highfield Avenue, Carlisle, were remanded in custody, and are due to be sentenced at the crown court on January 31.
“It is inevitable you will both be sent to custody,” Judge Adkin told the pair. “It is just a question of how long.”
