AN ex-soldier who won a Peace Medal while serving in Cyprus -- only to return home and subject a taxi driver to an horrific beating -- has failed in an Appeal Court bid to cut his jail term.

Reece Vickery, 20, of Byron Square, Great Harwood, was sent to a young offenders' institution for four and a half years by Preston Crown Court in March after he was convicted of robbery.

And Sir Igor Judge, sitting with Mr Justice Ouseley at London's Appeal Court, refused to cut Vickery's sentence, dismissing the argument it was "manifestly excessive".

The judge said that, at the time of the offence in December last year, Vickery had been on a night out with two friends. The three men, who were all "in drink", decided to hail a cab home.

They directed the driver to take them to a deserted country lane where they subjected the cabbie, who was on his first day in the job, to a brutal assault in which he was punched and kicked.

They demanded his money and raided the taxi where they discovered more than £700 in cash. They fled with his mobile phone and car keys, leaving the driver bleeding on the ground.

Lawyers on Vickery's behalf argued the sentence was simply too long and pointed to his previous "exemplary" character and a ream of good references, from his parish priest and the institution where he is serving his sentence.

They also pointed to his army record, saying he had been awarded the Peace Medal for maintaining order while serving in Cyprus.

However, dismissing the appeal, Sir Igor said: "The personal mitigation it pales into insignificance compared to this attack. We have to ask ourselves whether this sentence was manifestly excessive.

"We simply cannot find any basis for saying that this sentence was manifestly excessive. It was a proper sentence."