TAXI driver Malik Akber deliberately drove at a customer after an argument with him.

Callum Wilde was hit with such force he was thrown on to the bonnet and then the ground, but was not seriously injured, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard yesterday.

Prosecutor Phillip Beardwell said Mr Wilde got in to the taxi at 2.30am on April 30 this year after a night out in Newcastle. They agreed a £10 fare for Mr Wilde to be taken to his girlfriend's house in Stoke.

But Akber did not drive off. Instead another customer got in the cab and asked to be taken to Trentham.

An argument then broke out between Mr Wilde and Akber about the fare and because it appeared the other man was being taken home first.

After stopping the taxi near the Britannia Stadium, Akber called the police, claiming Mr Wilde had a knife.

Mr Beardwell said the argument calmed down when Akber agreed to pay Mr Wilde £2 back and take him to Campbell Road.

"When they got to Campbell Road, Mr Wilde got out and began to walk to his girlfriend's.

"The defendant then began driving after Mr Wilde. It appeared to the other passenger that Akber was trying to run him (Mr Wilde) over."

The court heard Mr Wilde started to "almost goad" the driver with his arms aloft in a "come on" gesture.

"This quickly re-ignited the defendant's temper," said Mr Beardwell. "The passenger remembers the defendant saying 'I am going to kill him'.

"In fear of what was going to happen the man got out of the taxi. He saw the taxi drive back to Mr Wilde."

The court heard Akber deliberately aimed the car at Mr Wilde. The car hit him, he went on the bonnet and fell on the ground.

The other passenger went to assist Mr Wilde, who suffered minor injuries.

The defendant drove off, stopped after a short distance and called the police.

Akber, aged 29, of Pinnox Street, Tunstall, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on November 3, the day of his trial.

Anis Ali, defending, said Akber, a father-of-two, regretted the incident.

He said there was a significant degree of provocation, but Akber's reaction was a "concern".

Mr Ali said Akber is no longer driving, but has gained work in a take-away.

"He has put himself in jeopardy, but he demonstrates a degree of victim empathy, clear remorse and regret."

Judge Mark Eades said he could not suspend the sentence as it was far too serious a case and jailed Akber for 41 weeks and disqualified him from driving for 12 months.

The judge said: "It is clear to me there was a degree of provocation and I can understand why you became upset.

"But whatever the provocation, at the time your passenger was out of the car and you turned your car around went towards him.

"You were very lucky the injuries he sustained were not really serious."