A delivery driver was left covered in blood when he was smacked in the head with an iron file by a violent robber.
The Just Eat worker had just dropped off food in Byker, Newcastle, when he was approached by Michael Lindsay. The thug used the tool to attack the driver then stole from him.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the victim was left traumatised by the ordeal and afraid to work in the Byker Wall area again. It was around midnight on the night of May 14 last year that the 40-year-old delivery driver was attacked.
Lindsay shouted: "Give me everything you've got, give me your money". He then hit him on the head with the iron file and threw him to the floor, leaving him injured and in pain. Lindsay rifled through his pockets and stole a mobile phone, £60 cash and his bank card.
The victim was left with a 2cm cut to his scalp and a fracture to his nose. A picture shown in court showed his head and face covered in blood. In a victim impact statement, he said: "This left me feeling extremely vulnerable. It was an unprovoked attack and I was just trying to do my job.
"I feel scared and won't return to the area because I'm fearful this will happen again. It's had a profound effect on my life and I still get flashbacks. This person smashed the windows of my taxi and hit me over the head with a weapon. I'm genuinely fearful while out working at night time. It's always in my mind it's going to happen again."
Lindsay, 44, of Derby Terrace, Thornaby, Stockton, who has 38 previous convictions, including for a number of robberies in 2003 and wounding with intent, pleaded guilty to robbery. He was jailed for five years and seven months.
Stuart Graham, defending, said: "It's surprising when you meet him. He comes across as exceedingly polite. He is very articulate and exceedingly sorry for what he has done."
