A HERO cabbie has been praised for snaring a vicious knifeman after recognising his description in the Evening Press.

Darren Atkins brought Martin Bailey to justice after reading of his attack on a York schoolgirl who was left permanently scarred when he slashed her face in a robbery.

Mr Atkins spotted Bailey, 37, at York Station the day after Bailey attacked the 16-year-old when she refused to give him a cigarette.

His tip-off to police landed Bailey with a five-year jail sentence when he appeared at York Crown Court.

Sentencing Bailey, Judge Trevor Kent Jones praised Mr Atkins, 34.

The court heard how Bailey cut a 5cm gash in his victim's cheek after he approached her as she walked from Museum Gardens in to Exhibition Square.

Immediately after the attack, he grabbed £5 from her hands and ran off, only to be caught the next day after being seen at York Station.

Judge Kent Jones said: "You slashed the girl across her face, which caused a wound, and there will be some extent of permanent marking left."

Edward Bindloss, prosecuting at York Crown Court, said the attack left the girl too terrified to return to the scene, gave her nightmares and affected her schoolwork.

Cabbie Darren said he hoped the victim would not be permanently affected.

He said: "It's a great result just to get him off the streets, so he does not do it to anyone else. But I feel for the lass who got slashed and hope she is not scarred for life."

Acting Sergeant Mark Seales, of British Transport Police, who was on duty at the time of the arrest, welcomed the sentence and said it sent a strong message to violent criminals.

Bailey, no fixed address, who admitted robbery, has 94 previous convictions, including some for violence.

His barrister, Chris Smith, said he had an 18-year drug habit, but was now drug-free and hoping to start a law-abiding life as a brick-layer after serving his sentence.

Mr Bindloss said Mr Atkins spotted Bailey as he caught a train at York Station on May 11 and tipped off police who arrested Bailey as he arrived in Leeds. Bailey had confronted the girl two days earlier, at 3.30pm, in Museum Gardens, offered her cannabis and asked if she could sell him cigarettes. The girl refused and he walked off.

But the next day, May 10, she was walking across Museum Gardens, at 11.45am, when Bailey approached her again and attacked her.

Updated: 09:42 Thursday, September 09, 2004