A TAXI driver today hailed the jailing of a passenger who carjacked him in York, saying he hoped it would serve as a deterrent and help protect cabbies across the city.

Robert Agnew was speaking after former soldier Michael Hurson was sentenced to almost four years for aggravated car snatching, and also robbing another taxi driver and a public order offence.

"Hopefully, it will serve as a deterrent to others and protect taxi drivers, and also others such as bus drivers who are providing a public service," he said. "I hope it does put others off."

He stressed that after working nights as a taxi driver with Ace Taxis for almost three years, about 99 per cent of his passengers were "fine". He said: "They just want to get home and get to bed."

Mr Agnew said he had picked up Hurson in Micklegate and taken him to Danebury Drive, Acomb, in his Vauxhall Cavalier when the incident happened.

"He had seemed OK. He was talking to another guy in the front. When he told me to get out of the car, I thought, there's two of them and one of me. If I don't get out, I'm going to get hurt. He said it quite aggressively."

Hurson climbed into the driving seat and drove at speed part way to Selby and then back to Acomb, crashing into a hedge before abandoning the vehicle near Choices Video shop, York Crown Court was told.

Robert Terry, prosecuting, said Hurson, 21, a pub chef, was on bail at the time after pleading guilty to robbing taxi driver David Hendry of £10 in Thorpe Willoughby in the early hours of April 15.

He had told Mr Hendry he had wanted to take his car and had added: "If I didn't like you, I would have stabbed you by now," said Mr Terry. But eventually he decided to take cash instead of the car. Police caught him nearby after he had unsuccessfully tried to hide in a friend's house.

Mr Terry said Hurson had been drinking before both incidents.

"It is very hard to understand why you allowed yourself to embark on serious crime," said the Honorary Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman. "The only explanation can be that just advanced: you attribute this violence to disturbing news about your child that set you on a course of drink and drugs. "

Hurson's barrister Simon Kealey said that Hurson's former wife had falsely told him their three-year-old son had died of meningitis and that after he found out the truth, he had started taking cocaine and alcohol. He was jailed for three years and nine months and banned from driving for two years.

Updated: 10:29 Friday, February 27, 2004