A WOMAN celebrating her birthday in Skipton punched and kicked a taxi driver and subjected him to racial abuse, magistrates were told.

Jamie Lowe, 26, remembered little of what happened in Skipton Bus Station in the early hours of July 20 because she was so drunk, the court heard on Friday.

She became aggressive after being asked by taxi driver Mohammad Aziz if she had enough money to get her home to Nelson.

While on the back seat of the taxi, she struck Mr Aziz on the side of his face and kicked the centre console of his car, causing damage estimated at £54.

Once out of the car, she kicked Mr Aziz in the groin, causing him to drop his mobile phone, while also repeatedly shouting racist abuse.

In a personal statement read out in court, Mr Aziz said he had been embarrassed by the incident and felt that his position in the community had been compromised.

It had happened during the fast of Ramadan and he had gone to work to assist colleagues.

Mr Aziz said he had tried to help the woman, could not understand why she had acted as she had and as a result had been wary of drunk people and of working late at night.

The court heard Lowe was driven home to Nelson by police following the incident and had later voluntarily appeared at Skipton Police Station when she admitted being drunk, but was unable to remember anything else.

Lowe, who admitted racially aggravated common assault, criminal damage, and using racially abusive language or behaviour, was handed a 12-month community order with supervision.

The court heard that Lowe had been in Skipton with her brothers for her birthday, that she had been in drink and had separated from her siblings.

She had suffered in the last year since the death of her young son, and had not drunk alcohol for six months prior to going out in Skipton

In mitigation, Jane Nield, said it was not in Lowe's nature to be a racist, that she had Muslim friends. She added Lowe had found herself in a difficult position after losing her brothers, being lost and worried about getting home.

Lowe, of Carleton Street, Nelson, was also ordered to pay compensation of £100 to Mr Aziz for the damage to his car and phone, and an additional £100 personal injury. She will also have to pay costs of £85 and a victims surcharge of £60.