Pictured: trio who tried to rob cashless Uber driver
POLICE have released the mugshots of three people who tried to force the driver of a cash-less Uber taxi to give them money.
The Asian driver was racially abused and beaten up by one of the three.
The drunken trio, brothers Shane and Joseph Woolley and Joseph’s girlfriend Louise Horrobin, approached the car in Bakewell Street, Coalville.
They tried to rob the driver, but because Ubers only use online payments he did not have any cash on him.
Ringleader Shane Woolley tried to force the driver to get money from a cash machine, but he was unable to because the trio had stolen the driver’s wallet, containing his bank card, then thrown it away.
The three already had 90 previous offences between them when they carried out the robbery at about 1.30am on Wednesday, March 29, last year. Leicester Crown Court heard on Thursday, April 18 that the whole thing, including an audio recording, was caught on CCTV.
The driver told Shane Woolley, “Alright, mate?”, and was punched in the face. Shane Woolley repeatedly punched the man while demanding money, telling him: “Give me your ******* money now or I’ll batter you”.
The driver explained Ubers were booked online and no cash was involved.
Using an offensive term about Asian people, Shane Woolley added: “All you ***** have money, where the **** is it?”
The other two defendants began searching the vehicle and the driver’s wallet for cash.
After some time, Shane Woolley got into the driver’s seat and drove up the road, leaving the Uber driver behind, while the other two robbers walked away empty-handed.
But Shane Woolley returned and threatened the driver to get into the car so they could go to a cashpoint.
It was at the town’s Morrisons that Woolley discovered the victim did not have his wallet with his card in it.
Shane Woolley then drove the Uber driver back to Bakewell Street, and forced him to help him search for the wallet, attacking the driver again.
The court heard that Horrobin, 36, of Melbourne Street, Coalville, had 43 previous offences on her record.
Joseph Woolley, 38, of the same address, had 12 previous offences while his brother Shane Woolley, 31, of Dalkeith Walk, Thringstone, had 35 offences on his record.
Shane Woolley was jailed for 64 months, Joseph Woolley was sentenced for 43 months and Horrobin was jailed for 30 months.