AN ANGRY passenger threw his pint glass at a taxi window before punching the driver in the face.

Peter Cooper, aged 23, of Harper Green Road, Farnworth, had been drinking since midday when he got into the cab at about 9pm on December 16 last year, Bolton magistrates heard.

As cabbie Basharat Ahmed collected Cooper and a friend from the Railway Hotel in Egerton Street, Farnworth, he saw the pint glass in his hand and warned him not to spill any lager.

However, shortly before he got home, Cooper spilt some of his drink and Mr Ahmed demanded a £15 valeting fee on top of the fare. Cooper told the driver he would clean the car himself and asked him to bring it to his house the following morning.

Jane Potter, defending, said Mr Ahmed was unhappy about this and as the pair got out of the cab, he wound down his window and was verbally abusive.

Cooper accepted that he threw a glass at the closed window, which smashed. He then opened the driver's door and punched Mr Ahmed once, causing his face to swell, the court heard.

Cooper admitted criminal damage, assault and breach of police bail. Magistrates ordered him to pay £125 compensation for the smashed window and Mr Ahmed's injuries and £60 costs.