TWO unemployed step-brothers who subjected a woman taxi driver to a terrifying hijack ordeal were jailed at the High Court in Aberdeen yesterday.

A court heard how Alan Meikle, 25, and Paul Meikle, 21, carried out ``a savage act of banditry'' using a knife or similar instrument.

The pair made Mrs Patricia Forbes drive her taxi to a remote area on the outskirts of Aberdeen and robbed her of cash from her wallet and purse.

They then left her standing at the roadside and drove off in her car. She had been forced to drive for about 10 minutes with a weapon held against her neck.

Passing sentence on Alan Meikle, who was jailed for seven years, Lord Osborne said: ``You have admitted what I can only describe as a savage act of banditry, which must have been quite terrifying for the victim.

``To assault a lone female in this way I regard as an atrocious crime for which you shall be punished severely - the public must be protected from this type of behaviour.''

He said the crime ``demonstrated yet again the folly of drug abuse''.

Sentencing Paul Meikle to five years' imprisonment, the judge said he was taking account of his youth and the fact he had not threatened the victim with a weapon.

There were gasps from members of the step-brothers' families as the sentences were announced and some of them broke down in tears as the two were led away by police officers.

The court earlier heard how the step-brothers had got into the cab at a city rank and asked to be taken to the Northfield area of Aberdeen.

Alan Meikle, who was sitting in the back of the cab, grabbed Mrs Forbes from behind and put his hands on her neck.

Advocate depute Scott Brady said the victim ``instinctively put her hands to her neck and felt something cold put there''.

She was then forced to drive for up to 10 minutes and warned not to use the car's radio for help. After being robbed and left at the roadside, she flagged down a passing motorist and reported the incident to police.

Advocate Mhairi Richards, defending Alan Meikle, of Glenbervie Road, Aberdeen, said her client had drunk five pints of lager and taken two ecstasy tablets on the night of the hijack.

``According to him, the drug makes him brave, foolhardy, and aggressive,'' she said.

She added that her client wished to apologise to Mrs Forbes but had had no opportunity.

Advocate Dennis Crawley, defending Paul Meikle, said his client was also under the influence of drugs at the time of the attack.

He said Meikle, of Formartine Road, Aberdeen, was ``thoroughly ashamed and admits his guilt. He is not shying away from it''.