A TAXI driver was hit in the face and £600 worth of damage was done to his car when he insisted on being paid his £2 fare, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Simon Paul Bates kicked the vehicle which had taken him and a friend to a party in Taylor Street, Clitheroe.

Bates, 24, of Faraday Avenue, Clitheroe, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mohammed Azad and damaging his car, and possession of one ecstasy tablet.

He was sentenced to six weeks in prison and ordered to pay £600 compensation for the damage and £70 to Mr Azad for the assault. Charges of racially aggravated assault and racially aggravated criminal damage were withdrawn and defence solicitor Basharat Ditta said the charges had already cost Bates dear.

He said Bates was currently serving a 12-month prison sentence for wounding which was imposed by Preston Crown Court in August.

"My client has always accepted that there was an assault and damage caused to the taxi but he is not a racist and pleaded not guilty to the racially aggravated charges," said Mr Ditta.

He would have been due for release with a tag before Christmas but, because of those matters hanging over him, he could not be released and is not due for release until February 23.

"Had he been charged with the non-racially aggravated offences he would have pleaded guilty straight away and been dealt with and undoubtedly he would have been able to spend Christmas with his partner and their child," said Mr Ditta.

"I would ask you to take account of the amount of time he has already spent in custody as a result of this incident."