A MAN who subjected a taxi driver to a racist attack has been handed a community order.

Stuart Dixon appeared at North Somerset Courthouse in St Georges on Tuesday charged with a racially aggravated assault on Abdul Kadir in the early hours of the morning of December 17.

The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to the attack, which happened in Regent Street in Weston town centre.

The court heard from Kevin Blackmore, prosecuting, who read a statement from Mr Kadir which said that he was working at 1.45am on December 17 when he picked up three girls in his taxi.

As he was about to drive off, Dixon opened the front passenger door and tried to get in. When the girls and Mr Kadir told him that the taxi was in use, he became aggressive and slammed the door three or four times.

He then shouted racist and foul-mouthed abuse at the taxi driver, before leaning across the car to physically attack him.

In his statement Mr Kadir said Dixon connected with three punches to his head and shoulder blade, and that he panicked and tried to get out of the vehicle to escape the attack.

The police arrived shortly after, and arrested Dixon, of Church Street, Wedmore.

Mr Kadir was left with minor injuries, and in the statement said he had been left ‘very distressed’ by the assault.

Owen Strickland, defending, said Dixon had wanted to go home when he got into Mr Kadir’s taxi, and that he had been very drunk at the time.

Saying that Dixon had ‘lost it’ when he had been told the taxi was in use, he added: “He has no particular racial problems with people at all.”

Magistrate Geoff Phillips said it was a ‘serious’ incident, which had been perpetrated under the influence of alcohol.

Dixon was handed a 16-week community order, including a requirement to carry out 150 hours’ unpaid community work and obey a 16-week curfew. He was also ordered to pay �100 compensation plus �85 costs.