A MAN who found it difficult to cope following his mother's death attacked a cabbie taking him home from a night out, magistrates heard yesterday.

Andrew Crawford attacked taxi driver Andrew Duncan after he had been driven from the centre of Harrogate to Starbeck at 3am. He punched him in the face, breaking his glasses and leaving him with a black eye.

Crawford, 34, then got out of the cab and ran off, said Peter Scott, prosecuting, leaving Mr Duncan to drive to the police station to report the attack. Police traced Crawford to his home in Cawthorn Avenue, Harrogate.

Crawford, now living with his partner and her two children in Cheshire, was found guilty of assault and making off without payment and was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid community work, pay costs of £300 and compensation to Mr Duncan of £100 for his injuries, £20 for repair to his glasses and £4.65 for the fare.

Crawford's solicitor Andrew Tinning said his client insisted he was innocent but accepted he could have a problem with his temper when he had been drinking.

He added that after having difficulties coming to terms with his mother's death, Crawford had moved out of the area to make a new start.