A FORMER Bradford couple were today sentenced after a taxi driver was hit on the head with a hammer at a petrol station in broad daylight.

Naomi Warwick and Reiss Callendar set about the cabbie when their two children were in his vehicle, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Warwick struck him on the back of the head with the hammer after using it to smash his windscreen. Callendar then ran up and threw ‘a flying punch’ at him before stealing his money bag containing up to £120.

They were living together in Barkerend at the time but had since moved to separate addresses in London, the court was told.

Warwick, 29, of London Road, Croydon, and Callendar, 30, of Danby Street, East Dulwich, pleaded guilty to causing the taxi driver grievous bodily harm on July 23, 2019.

Warwick admitted possession of the small hammer as an offensive weapon and doing £145 damage to the taxi. Callendar pleaded guilty to theft of the victim’s money.

Prosecutor Ian Cook said they were in the taxi with their two children when they asked the driver to stop at the petrol station in Bradford. Callendar got out and Warwick started swearing loudly at the driver when he said he should hurry up.

The victim gave back a £5 note that Callendar had handed him and said they should get another taxi. Warwick then attacked the vehicle and the driver with the hammer.

The cabbie was treated in hospital for a 3cm cut to his head. He had to take four weeks off work and he suffered with headaches and loss of confidence afterwards when doing his job.

Warwick had previous convictions for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and bat-tery. Callendar had convictions for battery, non-payment of a fare and threatening be-haviour.

In mitigation for Warwick, Stephen Littlewood said that she was the mother of four children. She had sought help for depression and anxiety and was regularly seeing a thera-pist and a psychologist.

The offences were almost three years old and she was trying very hard to get her life on track. She felt that she was now a very different person.

Stephen Welford, for Callendar, said he wasn’t in possession of the hammer and he punched the cabbie once after the violence had started.

He was being treated for his mental health problems and the probation report was positive. He could work with his anger issues and there was a very real prospect of rehabili-tation.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Richard Mansell QC, said it was ‘a very ugly incident’ and they should be ashamed of themselves.

Both were sentenced to an 18-month community order. Warwick must attend the Thinking Skills Programme and each must do 30 days of rehabilitation with the probation service.