Portsmouth man jailed for meat cleaver taxi driver robberies

Wayne Bailey was jailed for six years and eight months after robbing four taxi drivers – including one he swung at with the blade – in Paulsgrove within just 17 hours last December.

The 47-year-old was convicted by a jury at Portsmouth Crown Court who watched the film, recorded on December 30 at 10.45pm, showing driver Alan Newman grappling with Bailey.

Giving evidence, the driver of 13 years told how he picked up Bailey and another man in Tunstall Road, Paulsgrove, before being directed to a dead end in Hillsley Road.

He said Bailey, who can be seen putting a hoodie up in the cab, had demanded he hand over his cash before the robber smashed his CCTV. Mr Newman told the jury: ‘It all happened very fast.’

Mr Newman, who used to carry cash and was robbed of £340, said: ‘I don’t do that any more. Since this incident I scrutinise everybody. I didn’t use to.’

What Mr Newman did not know was Bailey had robbed £120 from another driver, Darren Bartlett, just minutes before at around 10.30pm.

Mr Bartlett had been directed to Blakemere Crescent by Bailey and another man.

Mr Bartlett had tried to flee after Bailey, of Hillsley Road, brandished the blade. But he was pulled back into the cab.

‘He pulled out a machete, a meat cleaver, waving it around at me and asking for my money,’ Mr Bartlett said.

The men took his phone and drove off with his car, leaving Mr Bartlett with a bystander, who helped to raise the alarm.

Bailey then spent the night at Martin O’Sullivan’s girlfriend’s home.

The three went to Tesco at 5am on December 31 before a taxi dropped off O’Sullivan and his partner.

It was then that Bailey, who directed driver Kevin Rawlins to Almondsbury Road, struck for a third time, smashing a panic button with the machete and taking about £210, prosecutor Gemma White said.

The final victim, David Young, picked up Bailey from a pub in Hilsea at about 3pm and heard him on the phone organising to buy drugs.

He dropped him at a shop but Bailey got back in, telling Mr Young he had stolen two pasties and to take him to Hillsley Road.

Bailey ordered him to stop near Deerhurst Crescent, telling the driver: ‘Give me your wallet, I’ll cut you, don’t get out of the car.’

Ms White said: ‘Mr Young had his door fully ajar and decided to try and make a run for it. It was at this point that Mr Bailey, lunging toward him with the machete, made a chopping down motion.

‘The machete only missed him by a few inches.’

Mr Young lost £150 and fled, but was chased by Bailey.

Police arrived and Bailey, who has 48 convictions for 166 offences, was arrested.

He later admitted four robberies and having a bladed article.

Sentencing, judge Sarah Munro QC said: ‘All the drivers suffered shock. They must all be wary as they go about their daily lives as a result of what you did.’

Bailey had stopped taking anti-psychotic medicine, suffered a bereavement and was abusing crack cocaine at the time of the robberies.

Mr O’Sullivan, 41 of Chaucer Avenue, Paulsgrove, was found not guilty of two robberies at a trial last week.