A thug who left a taxi-driver with life-changing injuries in a robbery has been handed a life-sentence.

Richard McCormack struck in Bury town centre in January.

Manchester Crown Court heard at 4am on Saturday, January 8, McCormack, from Bury, approached Glynn Lord outside Halifax Building Society in Bury town centre. He asked him for a cigarette paper before pulling out a knife and demanding all the papers. The man fled to safety but McCormack stayed in the area.

A short while later a taxi pulled up and a paying customer got out to use the nearby Natwest cash machine. McCormack got into the taxi and sat behind the driver. He reached around the seat and held a knife to the driver’s throat, threatening to kill him if he did not hand over all his money.

Arslan Ansar tried to hand over money but was struck by the knife to his hand.

After pressing the emergency button he fled the cab, shouting down his phone to the taxi firm asking for help.

McCormack chased him and when he slipped and fell, McCormack stabbed him in the back of the head and numerous times to the face, cutting off part of his nose as he lay defenceless on the floor.

McCormack then picked up the driver’s phone, which was still connected to the taxi base, and walked away taking the bag of change with him.

Mr Ansar had  to hold his nose to keep it from falling off completely.

He was taken to hospital but a partial amputation was required.

Appeals went out to try and trace McCormack and his home on Bell Lane, Bury, was visited by police who found stolen items inside - the taxi driver’s phone and the clothes he had been wearing the night of the attack.

Bob Elias, prosecuting, revealed the devastating impact the attack had on Mr Ansar.

He read from a victim impact statement which said: “I was left in an atrocious amount of pain.

“Every time I leave the house I feel I will be attacked.

“I am out of work, financially unstable and struggling for money to support my family.

“My wife was 30 weeks pregnant at the time and had to rush to hospital, I was worried she wouldn’t’ want to look at me, this attack had left me looking abnormal.”
Mr Elias described the attack as  "sadism" because of "extreme violence" on a level which was "unusual even in the crown court".

McCormack, aged 38, had originally been charged with the attempted murder of Mr Ansar.

However his not guilty plea to this was accepted by prosecutors.

He appeared in court to be sentenced after admitting possession of a knife in a public place, robbery and grievous bodily harm of Mr Ansar and robbery of Mr Lord.

The court heard he had twice reoffended while on an extended licence period after being released from prison for previous offences.

McCormack has previously been convicted of rape and attempted robberies

Milena Bennett, defending, said McCormack had suffered during a traumatic childhood but had not planned the attacks.

She said he had become frustrated playing video games at home before the attacks took place.

She also said he had expressed remorse and written a letter to the judge to show this.

Judge Timothy Smith said the only option was a life sentence.

He said: “The public cannot be protected from you committing further offences by the imposition of repeated extended licence terms.

“These offences are so serious only a long term of imprisonment is appropriate."

He jailed him for life with a minimum term of ten years, and explained: “Until the parole board consider your release appropriate you will remain in custody.”

Speaking after the case,  Gary Logan for the CPS said: “Richard McCormack carried out two terrifying knife point robberies in a short space of time, showing he would go to any lengths to get his hands on whatever he demanded; in this case cigarette papers and a small bag of change.  

 

“Firstly he terrified a man in the street with a knife, he then went on to carry out a prolonged attack on a taxi driver. He did not stop when he ran away, he chased him down the street and continued a frenzied knife attack when he was on the floor and unable to defend himself, causing life changing injuries.

 

“Everyone has the right to go about their daily lives without fear of being threatened with or harmed by knives. The CPS takes knife crime extremely seriously and worked together with the police to bring this offender to justice in order to protect the public from further harm at his hands.”