Taxi driver foiled armed robbery bid after being shot

An armed robber who shot a taxi driver in an attempted robbery has been jailed.

Gregor Thomson was captured on dash-cam footage holding up the man following a night-time pick up in Falkirk, Stirlingshire, on May 5.

The victim eventually pinned the 38-year-old to the ground despite being hurt.

Thomson is now back behind bars after he pled guilty to an assault and robbery charge at the High Court in Glasgow.

The taxi driver collected Thomson and a friend from outside a Chinese restaurant around 10.30pm that night.

The pair sat in the back, asked to go to a local pharmacy while demanding “make it quick”.

The driver asked for £10 payment upfront but Thomson’s bank card was declined twice.

The dash-cam footage then captured Thomson rummaging in a bag-for-life he also had with him.

Prosecutor David Fisken explained: “He then pulled out what the driver believed to be a handgun.

“He noted it to be dark grey and looked real. Thomson stated: ‘I am going to shoot you’.”

The driver then grabbed his phone and car key, jumped out of the taxi and unsuccessfully tried to lock Thomson inside.

The robber got into the front, but failed in trying to start the vehicle to make a getaway.

As the victim called the police, Thomson confronted him and again claimed he was going to shoot him.

The victim initially backed off before Thomson discharged the gun, hitting him with “projectiles” on the cheek and then the head.

There was soon a struggle between the men, and Thomson yelled “yes” as he snatched the car key.

He got to the taxi, but the driver grabbed him before being hit on the head with the firearm.

Mr Fisken said: “[The victim] then managed to pin Thomson to the ground with his arm around his neck.

“Thomson responded by biting the man’s left arm and continued to clamp his teeth before [the victim] punched him on the face.”

Other witnesses saw what was happening and helped the driver hold Thomson until police arrived.

The weapon was found to be a BB gun capable of firing pellets. It was described as an “imitation firearm” but looked real.

The court heard the driver suffered a fractured finger, eye injuries, a bite mark and bruising.

Thomson, also of Falkirk, already had a total of 24 convictions, including a seven-year jail term for attempted murder in 2014.

Lord Harrower continued his remand in custody as sentencing was deferred until September 23 in Edinburgh.

Follow STV News on WhatsApp

Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country