A man who launched an unprovoked attack on a taxi driver's car and hurled racist abuse at him was sentenced to 15 months in prison, writes Emma Henry.

Guy Clark, 27, pleaded guilty to one charge each of racially aggravated threatening behaviour and racially aggravated criminal damage after the attack on driver Ghazanfar Modhal's cab on October 11 in Oxford.

Oxford Crown Court was told on Friday that the attack on Mr Modhal's parked cab, was completely unprovoked.

Terence Woods, prosecuting, said: "At about 8.30pm Mr Modhal, who is a taxi driver, was sitting in his taxi in Pusey Street chatting to his brother, who was parked alongside him in his taxi.

"He came up to Mr Modhal's taxi and without warning punched the windscreen, causing it to shatter."

He said Clark, of Masons Road, Wood Farm, then shouted racist abuse at Mr Modhal and tried to punch him.

Mr Woods added: "The defendant said he'd killed two people and he would kill Mr Modhal's family."

Clark, who the court was told has 13 previous offences dating back to 1988, also caused dents to Mr Modhal's taxi.

Nigel Daly, defending, said: "He does not accept he is generally racist.

"He does not remember much about the incident because of the vast amount he had drunk. He does recognise he has problems in controlling aggression."

Judge Patrick Eccles QC sentenced Clark to 15 months in prison for each offence to run concurrently.