Teen told police 'I'm not getting bailed' after stabbing delivery driver

Dickinson told the delivery driver: "Give me your bike or I'll stab you"

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A teenager carrying a knife in a Tesco bag stabbed a delivery driver and tried to steal his bike.

Jacob Dickinson, 19, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday (June 8). He pleaded guilty to robbery and section 18 wounding at an earlier hearing.

Prosecuting, Christopher Taylor told the court Dickinson and another man - who has not yet been identified - approached Alex Byers on Bridge Road in Brighton-le-Sands on March 30, 2023. Mr Byers was working for delivery company Stuart and was identifiable by his branded delivery bag.

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Mr Byers, who was using an electric bike, had just made a delivery to a local shop and was checking his phone for his next job when two men caught his eye. Both men came towards him.

Dickinson told Mr Byers: "Give me your bike or I'll stab you" and was brandishing a kitchen knife. Mr Byers tried to protect his bike but feared being stabbed.

The defendant tried to steal the bike and a scuffle ensued. This resulted in both the defendant and Mr Byers falling to the ground.

Mr Byers then felt something on his back. He had been stabbed in the shoulder and was pinned to the ground.

Witnesses reported seeing the defendant and victim on the floor on Bridge Road. Dickinson was seen making stabbing motions towards Mr Byers while others saw him being stabbed. Members of the public intervened but the defendant made off in the direction of Mersey Road.

Police were called, with one witness telling officers that the delivery driver had been "jumped". He was injured and was reportedly "covered in blood".

Dickinson was then seen on the railway bridge on Mersey Road at around 1.48pm. Left behind at the scene were a blue bubble jacket, a knife in a Tesco bag, a baseball cap, a can of deodorant, a mobile phone and a lightweight top. These were all believed to be the defendant's and were handed to officers by members of the public.

CCTV from a nearby chemist showed Dickinson, dressed in a bubble jacket, approach the victim before attempting to grab his bike. The scuffle was also caught on camera, which showed the defendant "strike out" with his right arm. He was also seen running away from the scene towards St Nicholas' church.

Mr Byers suffered a stab wound of around 1.5cm to the left-side of his upper back. He also sustained a cut to the face and abrasions to the back of his knees and legs.

Dickinson was detained by police on Mersey Road and was arrested on suspicion of robbery and S18 assault. He was cautioned and said "that's crazy" before adding "I'm not getting bailed for this".

A victim impact statement read to the court by Mr Taylor detailed the effects that the incident continue to have on Mr Byers. He said he has been "constantly on edge since this happened" and had not gone back to work, as he is paranoid and scared that something like this may happen again.

In mitigation, Paul Becker said Dickinson has "expressed his remorse and is sorry for what he has done". He said that his client, who was 18 at the time of the incident, had acted in that way due to a drug addiction and debts he had accrued as a result.

Mr Becker added: "He's a young man, he has had a difficult life, he is ashamed of what he has done".

Sentencing, Judge Watson KC told Dickinson: "You robbed Alex Byers of his electric bike. You wounded him with intent to do him very serious harm."

He added: "It was your plan to carry out this robbery to pay your debt to drug dealers."

The judge pointed to the impact on My Byers saying: "The consequences for him have been devastating", adding "he can't go out without feeling he is being followed".

Dickinson, of Sandown Road, Seaforth, was sentenced to six years' detention in a young offender institution.

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