Wolverhampton taxi driver's kidnappers jailed

A terrified taxi driver was kidnapped and held prisoner in his own cab for six hours before being left locked inside the dumped vehicle on the M6 hard shoulder, a judge heard.

Mr Hardev Sandher was finally freed after taking off his shirt and forcing it through a gap in a window to flag down a passing motorist on the southbound carriageway of the M6 near Wolverhampton at 6.15 in the morning on January 4, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

The drama began at 10.30pm the previous evening when he picked up three men in Pipers Row in the city.

His passengers were 21-year-old Imran Mahmood, Roheel Hussain, aged 20, and an unknown man.

They agreed a fare of £80 for a trip to Manchester and halted in Oldham, explained prosecutor Mrs Sati Ruck. Mahmood went to get more cash and handed over £10 on his return before reaching through the open driver's window to snatch the ignition key, the court was told.

The trio attacked the taxi driver forcing him into the rear of the vehicle where he continued to be hit as Mahmood drove away erratically, continued Mrs Ruck.

Mr Sandher had around £150 cash stolen along with three mobile phones that were his only communication as the cab did not have a two-way radio.

He was ordered to crouch in the footwell of the back seats as the vehicle travelled around for another two-and-a-half hours during which time a fourth man was picked up and later dropped off, the court was told.

Mrs Ruck disclosed: "Suddenly the taxi stopped and the engine would not restart. The three men got out, ordered Mr Sandhu to keep his head down, locked him inside and left."

The vehicle was abandoned on the M6 between junction 10 and 10a where a passing taxi driver was finally flagged down and Mr Sandher was freed.

Mahmood from Durham Road, Sparkhill, admitted robbery, kidnap and driving while disqualified and was jailed for five years. Hussain pleaded guilty to kidnap and robbery and was locked up for three years eight month

By John Scott