A father-of-three who robbed two cabbies, including one from Keighley, has been jailed for six years.

Mohammed Akbar, 29, was armed with a knife or sharp implement when he forced the drivers to hand over cash after taking late-night trips to Huddersfield.

Keighley-based private hire driver Mohammed Ibrar had £60 stolen from him after Akbar and his wife travelled back to the Bradley area of Hudders-field in May last year. During his trial at Bradford Crown Court in November the jury heard how Akbar produced a knife and demanded money from Ibrar.

A month later, while on bail, Akbar and his wife got into Chaudhry Nazam's taxi at Leeds railway station.

Mr Nazam had a knife or sharp implement held to his neck and was forced to hand over £30.

Akbar, of Rashcliffe Hill Road, Lockwood, Huddersfield, was found guilty of robbing the two cabbies, but the jury failed to reach a verdict in respect of a third charge relating to a Sheffield cabbie.

The Honorary Recorder of Bradford Judge Stephen Gullick (pictured) took account of Akbar's modest previous convictions, mostly for driving offences, but he said he had to deal with him for two similar, if not identical, offences.

"I don't accept that in one sense these were not planned offences because it is clear to me that when you got into those taxis you did not have the means to pay," Judge Gullick told Akbar.

"I accept that no direct violence was used although the second taxi driver felt something at the back of his neck. To that extent physical injury was not caused but no doubt both taxi drivers were extremely alarmed at the turn of events late at night.

"Taxi drivers are vulnerable individuals who have to deal with not only disgruntled customers but regrettably on occasions individuals such as you who seek to rob them of their money."

Akbar, who has already been in custody for 248 days, was sentenced to six years behind bars for the robbery offences.

He was jailed for a further six months in relation to an unrelated charge of child neglect, which he admitted.