11:55am Saturday 30th September 2006
By Ed Chadwick
A TEENAGE drug addict who stabbed a taxi driver in the head and neck during a frenzied attack is facing a jail sentence.
Robert Seddon, aged 19, of Watson Road, Farnworth, pleaded guilty to stabbing Mohammed Nasir seven times in what has been described as an "unprovoked" incident at Bolton Crown Court yesterday.
Mr Nasir, aged 39, needed more than 20 stitches after being stabbed with the kitchen knife.
Seddon's friend, 18-year-old Lee Tuff, also of Watson Road, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender after offering to dump the attacker's blood-stained clothes.
Both were warned that they could be jailed when they are sentenced on December 8.
The court heard that Seddon got into a taxi driven by Mr Nasir in Watson Road just after midnight on July 30 and asked him to drive to Westwood Close, Farnworth.
As the car arrived at Westwood Close, Seddon stabbed the driver repeatedly in the back, neck, head and shoulders before running away.
Tuff admitted seeing Seddon covered in blood and bungling some of his clothes into a bag. He offered to help dispose of them.
After the taxi driver's colleagues reported the incident to police, a detective visited the neighbour's house from where the taxi had been called and spotted Seddon walking along the road nearby and he was arrested. Yesterday he pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and an alternative charge of grievous bodily harm was accepted.
Judge William Morris said: "It's not clear what the motive for the attack was and although you say it was robbery, the victim suggests there was no demand for money."
Det Con Andy Livesey of Bolton CID said: "This was an absolutely unprovoked and despicable attack on someone who was just going about their normal daily business trying to make a living."
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk