TWO youths who robbed a Redditch taxi driver after one of them held what he believed was a knife to his head have been sentenced to custody.

David O'Brien and Mark Morris had pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to robbing driver Mohammed Hafeez of £95 during the incident on May 16.

O'Brien, 17, of Allendale Crescent, Studley, was sentenced to three years detention and Morris, 16, of New Road, Studley, to 12 months detention and training.

A few days earlier, the prosecution dropped the case against a third defendant, Damien Day, 17, of Allendale Crescent, because it was considered there was insufficient evidence against him.

Recorder David Jones said he was not prepared to accept a plea that Morris did not have a knife.

But Jonathon Salmon, for Morris, said he had a metal bar which he held to Mr Hafeez's head while holding him round his neck and he accepts the driver must have believed it was a knife.

So Recorder Jones, who pointed out another defendant said it was a knife, said he would deal with it on the basis that Morris "had a weapon which appeared to be a knife to the driver".

Shahzad Aziz, prosecuting, said that 48-year-old Mr Hafeez, who works for Premier Taxis, was told to pick up three youths at the town's Tesco.

They asked to be taken to Allendale Road but when they arrived, O'Brien, who was in the front, demanded money and when the driver refused, said: "Right lads, get the knife out and stab him."

Morris grabbed Mr Hafeez round the neck from behind and O'Brien got out of the front of the car and into the back.

There was a struggle with the driver, during which Morris held "a cold metal object" just behind Mr Hafeez's ear while O'Brien took £95 from the driver's shirt pocket.

O'Brien then released the car handbrake before all three youths got out and ran off.

They made no comment when they were arrested and interviewed. Morris made a statement saying he had walked home from Tesco but a witness picked them both out.

O'Brien had previous convictions for offences including assault, affray and burglary but Morris had just one conviction for battery.

Nick Devine, for O'Brien, said although he made the comment about stabbing Mr Hafeez, there was no actual intention to harm him.

Mr Salmon said Morris was under the influence of others with worse criminal records but since then, there had been a dramatic change in him.

With the support of his mother and foster mother, he had stopped drinking alcohol, had got a job and stopped mixing with the people who were having a bad influence on him.

Recorder Jones said: "But he did have a weapon and he was with others when an entirely innocent taxi driver was robbed. I don't see how I can let him walk out of here for such a serious offence."