Jack Dean Grant jailed for threatening to chop off taxi driver’s head

A homeless man has been jailed after catching a cab from the Liverpool St cab rank and threatening to chop the driver’s head off.

• Teen who carjacked cabbie believed cops wanted to kill him
• Teen allegedly told taxi driver he had a knife before attempting robbery

A HOMELESS man who got into a cab on Liverpool St before holding a large steak knife to the driver’s neck, threatening to “chop his head off”, has been jailed.

Jack Dean Grant, 25, appeared in the Supreme Court of Tasmania after pleaded guilty to the “somewhat bizarre” but serious assault dating back to September 23 last year.

In his published comments on passing sentence, Justice Stephen Estcourt said Grant and three other men had entered the taxi at a cab rank and asked to be taken to BWS at Rosny.

A homeless man has been jailed after threatening to decapitate a taxi driver. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

When the taxi arrived at its destination, only Grant remained as a passenger. He retrieved the knife and held it to the driver’s neck, demanding all his money.

The taxi driver called his company’s call centre and asked them to call police, with Grant throwing the knife into nearby bushes.

When police arrived, he said he’d just been “mucking around”.

Prosecutors later accepted Grant didn’t form an intention to permanently deprive the driver of any property.

Justice Estcourt said the taxi driver had been emotionally traumatised by the incident.

“He was worried that the defendant might come back to get him again. He stopped driving taxis completely because he did not feel safe anymore,” he said.

The judge said Grant had been homeless for the past five years.

He also noted the taxi driver had been able to leave the cab unobstructed, and that Grant didn’t immediately pursue him – and remained at the scene until police arrived before making full admissions.

“The defendant’s offending is somewhat bizarre but nonetheless constitutes a serious assault given the consequences for the complainant,” Justice Estcourt said.

He noted in the year leading up to the crime, Grant had been consuming about four litres of wine a day – but had ceased his drinking since being in custody.

Justice Estcourt convicted him of assault and sentenced him to a year’s jail, plus activated a previously suspended two-month prison term.

Grant, who has already served six months, must spend another month behind bars before he is eligible for parole.

Follow @ambervwilson