Cigarette-smoking thug chased Uber driver across Tesco car park after he tried to cancel fare

Declan Devine's victim was treated in hospital for bruising and swelling to both eyes, and an injury to the nose

A cigarette-smoking thug chased a fleeing taxi driver across a Tesco car park after he desperately tried to cancel an ill-tempered Uber trip, leaving him fearing for his life.

Declan Devine had booked the journey on the afternoon of July 2, 2022. The 33-year-old, then climbed into the back of the taxi with a cigarette in hand, a sentencing at Manchester Crown Court heard yesterday (April 24).

The driver and Devine then had a disagreement during the trip, Philip Hall, prosecuting said.

“While en-route, there was an exchange of words and an argument about the speed the car was driving,” he added.

Devine, of Panfield Road, Wythenshawe, then asked the driver to pull over at Tesco.

As he went inside, the taxi driver, feeling uncomfortable, cancelled the fare on the Uber app and left the supermarket car park onto Chorlton Road.

Seeing the taxi leaving, the defendant chased down they car and tried to force open a door.

“Mr Devine [then] attacked the victim,” Mr Hall said. “The pair exchanged blows and the victim went very quickly to the floor.

“Mr Devine could have walked away at that point, but he lashed out. CCTV shows Mr Devine then stamped down while he [the taxi driver] was motionless on the floor.”

The driver was treated in hospital for bruising and swelling to both eyes, and an injury to the nose.

In a personal statement read to the court, the victim said he has suffered from sleepless nights since the attack and had struggled to return to work.

“I have flashbacks and have been struggling to sleep," he wrote. "I am financially out of pocket and I had to claim through my insurance to get my vehicle fixed. The offender’s behaviour was despicable, I was in fear of my life.”

Devine appeared in court to be sentenced for wounding with intent - and a separate offence of actual bodily harm following an incident in a Canal Street bar in May.

“At 2.30am on May 14, the defendant approached the victim from behind and smashed a glass bottle on the right side of his face,” Mr Hall told the court.

“He left the scene and was quickly apprehended by two police officers. By way of injuries, the victim suffered minor cuts to his face and head - but it could have been much more serious in light of the use of the glass bottle. The victim went to hospital the following day and was discharged.”

The court heard Devine has a history of violence, with 15 convictions for a total of 26 offences, including common assault.

Mitigating, Joe Allman said the Devine had ‘expressed significant contrition’ for his actions in a letter shared with Judge Alan Conrad KC.

He also told the court Devine had completed courses aimed at trying to reduce his aggression.

He added: “He had an unsettled childhood, and five years ago his mother died, adding to what has been a traumatic life for him.”

Devine pleaded guilty to both offences, and was sentenced to five-and-half years in prison.

“Both assaults were captured on CCTV that we have been able to watch today,” the judge, who said the Devine had 'a very bad record for violence, resulting in a number of custodial sentences'.