A SERIAL robber targeted a vulnerable taxi driver and assaulted him in his car until other drivers came to his aid.
Daryl Buttle, 22, threatened to stab his victim and repeatedly kicked him until he handed over his takings, his sat-nav and the car's computer equipment.
Moments before the assault, Buttle had tried to withdraw money from a cash point in Bransholme to pay the driver.
He was swiftly caught when the police viewed the bank's CCTV footage.
It was Buttle's fifth robbery in the city.
In a victim impact statement read to Hull Crown Court, the driver, Mentor Mulgeri, said: "As a result of the incident I feel very scared and vulnerable.
"I don't want to carry on doing this job but I have to in order to earn a living."
Buttle had earlier booked a car at 57 Taxis in Hull's Cottingham Road following a night out in city bar Fusion.
He got into Mr Mulgeri's taxi with a mother and her son, with whom he had been out drinking, and asked to be taken to Bransholme.
Buttle took the woman's credit card and went to the cash point at the North Point Shopping Centre to withdraw some money. When he was unable to do so, he returned to the car and assaulted Mr Mulgeri and stole his takings.
Prosecutor Jayne Bryan said: "The complainant was shocked to hear a loud thud on the window.
"The defendant told him to open the car door and shouted at his companions to get out of the car.
"He opened the car door and began kicking the complainant to the head and shoulder area as he was sat in the car.
"He shouted 'give me the money or I will stab you'. The complainant was genuinely frightened for his life."
Two other taxi drivers who were in the area saw what happened and called the police as Buttle made off.
The court heard Buttle has 70 previous convictions and committed his first robbery at the age of 12.
He has been jailed for four years for his latest offence.
Judge Mark Bury told him: "You have an extremely bad record.
"You were convicted in 2010 of two robberies and both these incidents included threats to cause significant harm or to kill the victims concerned.
"I accept you hadn't planned to rob this hapless taxi driver but nevertheless, once in his car when you couldn't get money from a cash machine to pay the fare, you behaved appallingly.
"You banged on his door and when he opened it, you kicked him to the head. You threatened to stab him with a knife.
"The taxi driver was truly frightened and you stole a significant amount from him."
