IPSWICH: A man who robbed a 16-year-old student and a taxi driver within four hours of each other has been locked up for 39 months.

John Hart, 21, stopped the boy near Liquid nightclub at around 11pm on June 18 last year and told him that he would slit his throat if he didn’t hand over his wallet, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

The youth handed over he wallet containing �12 but was then hit in the face by Hart, leaving him with bruised eyes and a cut lip, said Sarah Lewis, prosecuting.

Four hours later, Hart and two other men got into a taxi driven by Kamaran Mohamad and asked to be taken to Hart’s home address.

Mr Mohamad stopped the car in Belstead Road, Ipswich, and asked to be paid up front but was grabbed by the neck and had his seat belt pulled tightly across his chest, said Miss Lewis.

Mr Mohamad then had a hand put over his mouth at which point he bit down on it, causing a wound to Hart’s finger.

The keys were removed from the ignition and �175 was taken from the taxi, although most it was recovered after being dropped nearby, said Miss Lewis.

Hart, of Burrell Road, Ipswich, admitted two robberies and was jailed for a total of 39 months.

Also before the court was Simon Fox, 25, of Thackeray Road, Ipswich, who admitted robbery of the 16-year-old student on June 18. He was jailed for two years and three months.

Judge David Goodin described the 16-year-old student as “vulnerable” and said the robbery had been vicious.

Miss Lewis said Fox had been present during the robbery of the student but had not threatened him or hit him.

Nicola May, for Hart, said her client had been under the influence of drink and drugs at the time of the robbery and had not set out that night to commit the offences.

Ian Persaud, for Fox, said his client had played a lesser role in the robbery of the 16-year-old.