A man who assaulted a taxi driver was sentenced in Supreme Court yesterday to three-and-a-half years in prison.

Anthony Alexander Outerbridge pleaded guilty on Monday to the charge of assault with intent to rob taxi driver Rudolph Fubler.

Puisne Judge Charles-etta Simmons heard that at approximately 9.30 p.m. on May 31 last year, Mr. Fubler picked up Outerbridge and another man on Front Street, and the men asked to be taken to the Mid-Ocean Club.

En route, they asked Mr. Fubler to stop at Devonshire Bay to pick up a third man.

Crown counsel Shakira Dill said Outerbridge, who was sitting in the back seat, grabbed Mr. Fubler from behind in a bear hug.

Mr. Fubler managed to escape and ran for safety.

Later, Outerbridge was found beaten and unconscious near the taxi. Upon regaining consciousness, he was cautioned by Police.

Defence lawyer Craig Attridge said the incident had had a ?profound effect? on Outerbridge, and the events which have transpired since then served as a ?wake-up call?.

And he said prior to the incident, Outerbridge had been beaten and threatened with a knife.

On Thursday, Outerbridge?s co-accused, Joseph Moniz Lima, was found not guilty of stealing the taxi, and the jury deadlocked on whether or not Lima had assaulted taxi driver Rudolph Fubler.

Mr. Attridge said Outerbridge, a former airport employee, had been a ?functioning, well-rounded member of society? until his cocaine and alcohol addiction led to the dissolution of his family and professional life.

He said Outerbridge had been separated from his wife and had had no contact with his 11-year-old daughter for the past year because his wife was trying to protect the child from the fallout of Outerbridge?s drug use.

But Mr. Attridge said Outerbridge had been drug-free since being remanded in custody last June.

And he asked the Court to take into consideration that Outerbridge had played a lesser role in the assault, which he said had been primarily another man?s idea.

Mr. Attridge also reminded the court that Outerbridge had co-operated with Police and had shown remorse. But Mrs. Justice Simmons noted that Outerbridge had several other convictions for lesser offences dating back to 1988.

And she expressed concern that Outerbridge seemed to have ?graduated? from crimes of dishonesty such as stealing and uttering false documents to assaulting a ?living, breathing victim?.

Outerbridge, 34, was subdued in court, and apologised to Mr. Fubler, stating: ?I know he won?t forget what happened, but I hope he will forgive one day.?

Before issuing her verdict, Mrs. Justice Simmons explained that it was the court?s duty to protect the vulnerable, such as taxi drivers, as well as the elderly. She also noted that the short sentences Outerbridge had served for other offences had apparently not acted as a deterrent.

She sentenced Outerbridge to three-and-a-half years in jail with a discount for time served. She also recommended him for counselling and rehabilitation.