A taxi driver's life may have been saved by the four layers of clothing he was wearing after he was stabbed near his heart.
His attacker was Gary Pearson, who planned out a knife-point robbery of the driver after booking the car under the false name of "Miles".
Nottingham Crown Court heard the driver had a knife held with its point to his neck after he was told to pull over at a bus stop on December 3 last year.
The knife left a puncture wound as Pearson, who was wearing a mask, demanded cash from the terrified driver.
The man, who had just started his shift, said he had little money and handed over some banknotes from his trouser pocket and said "this is all I have got".
But Pearson responded "you should have more than that", and the driver offered £20.
Pearson was still unsatisfied and asked where his change was.
The cash was produced from the door pocket in a cloth bag.
Pearson demanded his phone too and released his grip on the man to allow him to reach for the device.
The driver then opened his door and escaped. He bravely attempted to kick and stamp at Pearson to keep him in the back of the taxi.
Pearson jabbed at him with the knife repeatedly towards his torso and he felt the blade connect with his chest area. One blow with the knife punctured his chest, leaving a two-centimetre wound that needed two stitches.
Pearson, 34, of Denewood Crescent, Bilborough, fled with £90 but was arrested.
At court on Friday, March 19, he pleaded guilty to having the knife in Melbourne Road, Stapleford; robbery, wounding with intent, and damaging property after he urinated on a floor in the Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham.
Judge John Burgess sentenced him to ten years for the robbery and wounding with intent concurrently, and 16 months concurrently for having the knife. There was no separate penalty for the criminal damage.
He extended Pearson's licence period for four years on his release.
The judge said it was extremely fortunate the driver was wearing four layers of clothing, including a showerproof jacket.
"The wound was near his heart," added the judge. "He considers the clothing may well have saved his life".
Detective Chief Inspector Kim Binns, of Nottinghamshire Police, said afterwards: “This was a brazen frightening knife-point robbery that could easily have been a lot worse for the victim.
“Pearson posed as a typical customer as he climbed inside and sat in the back seat, even engaging in the kind of small talk that is typical of most taxi journeys.
“He then held a knife to his victim’s neck in an attempt to steal just a small amount of cash. For that cowardly, impulsive but ultimately futile act he will now spent a very considerable amount of time behind bars.
“Faced with the overwhelming evidence against him I am pleased that Pearson has accepted his guilt and hope he will use his time in prison to change the direction of his life.
“I would also like to pay tribute to the fantastic work at the scene by Police Dog Reno and his handler. Thanks to bit of quick-thinking and one very powerful nose we were quickly able to track down a violent and dangerous offender and bring him into custody.”
