A MAN who drove his daughter into town to go shopping suffered a broken back after being thrown over railings and down a 15ft drop by a drunken teenager.

Blackburn magistrates heard that student Ibrahim Khan climbed into the back of the victim’s car because in his drunken stupor he thought it was a taxi.

And he attacked Riaz Mahmood when he threatened to call police, punching him about the head before pitching him over the railings outside the Blackburn County Court.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said witness Gary Longworth had described hearing Mr Mahmood’s head banging against the wall and then a thud as he hit the floor.

“I was really shocked by what I saw, he could have died,” said Mr Longworth. “I was really surprised he was able to walk.”

Khan, 18, of Pringle Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Mahmood causing him actual bodily harm.

He was committed to Preston Crown Court for sentence after magistrates said their powers were insufficient.

Miss Allan said Mr Mahmood was getting some change out of his pocket to pay for parking when Khan climbed into the back of his car and demanded to be taken to Pringle Street.

“Mr Mahmood said he was not a taxi driver and asked the defendant to leave his car,” said Miss Allan.

“He went round to the rear door and told him to get out and at that point Khan became abusive.

"As Mr Mahmood was phoning the police Khan punched him and then pushed him over the railings and down the drop.”

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said his client had no previous convictions and was deeply ashamed of what he had done.

“He remembers being in a park drinking vodka with his friends on Eid but nothing after that,” said Mr Taylor.