A taxi driver suffered a fractured ankle when he was attacked by another cabbie who lost his temper in a dispute over a private hire partnership, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Abdul Razaq, 60, was punched hard twice in the face by Mohammed Rashid after bad feeling developed at Station Private Hire, in Frizinghall Road, Bradford.

Mr Razaq was knocked to the ground, breaking his ankle, and then kicked by Rashid, who was today starting a six- month jail sentence for causing him actual bodily harm.

Prosecutor Louise Reevell told the court yesterday that Rashid launched an unprovoked attack on Mr Razaq on a car park near the taxi firm at 9.30pm on November 24 last year.

Rashid, 42, of Granville Road, Frizinghall, Bradford, ran off, leaving Mr Razaq lying bleeding on the ground.

He was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary suffering from a fractured right ankle and facial cuts and bruising.

Rashid, who was jailed for five years for drugs offences in 1999, told police he wanted to teach Mr Razaq a lesson.

Mr Razaq said in a victim impact statement to the court that he suffered headaches and loss of hearing after the attack.

His broken ankle stopped him driving his private hire car and he was now out of work.

Rashid’s barrister, Imran Shafi, said his client had been immediately honest with the police. “He accepted and repented his actions almost straightaway,” Mr Shafi said.

He told the court Station Private Hire was a family-run business and there were internal disputes.

Rashid was angry because he believed his mother had been verbally abused. He lost his temper after some degree of provocation. He had a wife and three children and was genuinely remorseful for the assault.

The judge, Recorder Toby Wynn, told Rashid Mr Razaq “was totally outgunned by your physical presence.”

He was punched twice with full force and kicked as he lay on the ground.

The judge added: “You could easily have caused him permanent and really serious harm.”