A Warrington man involved with a robber who held a knife to the throat of a ‘Just Eat’ delivery driver before making off in his car, has been put behind bars.
Callum Jaxon stood by watching as the victim had a knife held to his throat by Luke Jones after he had got into his car having made a delivery in Pollitt Crescent in St Helens at about 2 am on March 22.
Delivery driver Adrian Szabo, who has since returned to Romania due to the trauma caused by the incident, had closed the door but not yet started the engine when he heard a tap on his window and saw pony-tailed Jones standing there. Jones asked for the time but then quickly opened the door and held the weapon to his throat, said Simon Mintz, prosecuting.
Jones aged 29 was saying ‘get out of the f….ing car’ and Mr Szabo panicked and got out. The robber demanded his phone which he threw to him and he then noticed another man, Jaxon, standing on the other side of the road. Like Jones he was dressed in dark clothing and a baseball hat but was just watching and not taking part in the robbery, said Mr Mintz.
“Jones then shouted towards Jaxon, ‘come on, come on’ and Jaxon then got into the car. Jones drove off leaving Mr Szabo on the pavement without his car and his phone and with his ‘Just Eat’ delivery bags still on the back seat.”
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday (Wed) that the stolen Fiat Punto was not seen by police until almost 11 hours later in Warrington town centre.
An officer saw the driver, Jaxon and his passenger Jones getting out of the car and when they went to arrest them Jaxon was seen to drop Mr Szabo’s mobile phone, said Mr Mintz. Jones initially refused to provide any details. He had the registration document of the stolen car on him and also a knife.
When 28-year-old Jaxon was being cautioned by police Jones shouted over to him to say ‘no comment.’ When interviewed later Jones said he had been living in a tent and would have been asleep at the time the robbery occurred.
He said he found the knife and registration document in the car. Jaxon, of Marron Avenue, Orford, made no comment when interviewed.
Mr Mintz told the court that analysis of cell site movements of both defendants’ phones linked them closely to the time and location of the robbery.
It also traced their journey following the robbery to Jaxon’s home in Warrington and from there to Warrington town centre where they were both arrested.
Mr Szabo suffered anxiety working at night and his wife was also so anxious she sometimes went with him on deliveries.
“The robbery contributed to their decision to leave UK and return to Romania,” said Mr Mintz.
It was not economical to repair his car and it cost him £950 to get a new car and £150 to retire the Punto from storage.
Jaxon, who has 13 convictions for 34 offences mainly relating to motoring, pleaded guilty to theft and he was jailed for nine months.
Jones, of Riding Close, St Helens, pleaded guilty to robbery and was jailed for five years seven months. He has 20 previous convictions for 52 offences.
Sentencing them, Judge David Potter said, “It is clear that delivery drivers do operate in hazardous working conditions, delivering food in the dead of night with the ever-present risk of being jumped by people intent on robbing them. He was deprived of the tools of his trade.”
He told Jaxon, who appeared via video link from prison, “It is said that your imprisonment for much of this year has given you an insight into your offending and a determination to break that cycle. Time, of course, will tell.”
Stuart Mills, defending, said that Jaxon had had a very troubled childhood. He left school early and was homeless by the age of 16. He turned to acquisitive offending which led to drug and alcohol misuse.
His criminal record related back to his difficult childhood and something was needed to break the cycle, said Mr Mills.
“This has given him a big wake up call. He has taken parenting and anger management courses while on remand.”
His partner is standing by him and he wants to make “a proper go” when he is released from prison.
Defence barrister Chris Stables said this was the most serious offences Jones had committed. He had had a difficult childhood and “life hasn’t been plain sailing.”
Addressing Jones the judge said, “There are elements of hope in your case. I am satisfied that there are elements of remorse.”
