Judge says jail terms were richly deserved
A ONCE-promising footballer who took part in terrifying knife-attacks on Northampton taxi drivers has failed to get his potentially lifelong jail term quashed.
Justin Georcelin, of North Holme Court, Thorplands was yesterday told the four-and-a-half year minimum term he must serve was "richly deserved" due to the violence nature and consequences of the attacks.
The ex-trainee Cobbler, who turned 23 yesterday, was sentenced to an indefinite imprisonment for public protection (IPP) at Northampton Crown Court in May, after pleading guilty to two robberies and one attempted robbery.
His co-accused in one of the robberies, Rishi Singh, aged 23, of Old Barn Court, Thorplands, also failed to win a cut in his six-year jail term.
In June l2005, taxi driver Farhan Saleem's head was pulled back and a knife held to his throat before he was robbed by a number of men.
He was profoundly affected by the attack in Thorplands which resulted in taxi firms refusing to accept fares from the eastern area of town.
The second victim, Peter Kessie, was walking to his Nissan Primera, which was parked in the underground car park at Weston Favell Shopping Centre last September when he was confronted by two masked men who stabbed him in the back before taking his car keys and stealing his car. He remained in hospital for two weeks.
Forty minutes later the stolen car was used to ram the taxi of Martin Short, who was punched and stabbed several times, in an attempt to rob him.
Mr Justice Silber refused both men permission to challenge their sentences, rejecting claims they were "manifestly excessive".
Matthew Maynard, for Georcelin, said the judge gave insufficient weight to his guilty pleas or that he had not produced a knife or used any violence.
Rejecting the arguments, he noted Georcelin's appalling record, agreeing he posed a significant risk of harm to the public.
The judge also rejected Singh's appeal. Singh was jailed for six years in July, after being found guilty of robbing Mr Saleem.
He said: "We do not considered that this sentence imposed on Singh is even arguably excessive, in light of the aggravating factors."
