A WORCESTER taxi driver helped "hunt down" a man who was then savagely beaten in the street.

Asif Saleem and a number of his colleagues chased Samuel Anderson after a confrontation between a group of men and cabbies in Worcester's The Cross.

Mr Anderson was cornered, punched to the ground and kicked on New Year's Day last year, Worcester Crown Court was told.

Samantha Powis, prosecuting, said his whole face was swollen in the attack, and he had ear and eye cuts and was badly bruised on the arms trying to defend himself.

Saleem, aged 32, was convicted by a jury at Hereford last year of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Jailing him for four months yesterday, Judge David Matthews said: "You took part in the relentless pursuit of Mr Anderson that night. You and other taxi drivers hunted him down. He was an entirely innocent victim of violence."

The judge accepted that others were involved and pointed out there was no evidence Saleem, of Victoria Avenue, off London Road, Worcester, threw a punch or delivered a particular kick.

But he said the defendant was part of a group engaged in a frightening attack and there was no alternative to custody.

During the initial incident a taxi was kicked, another cabbie got involved in a scuffle, and a chase around the city began.

Mr Anderson was pursued by some cabbies on foot and others in their taxis. Miss Powis said he believed he was left suffering from concussion.

Saleem, a married man with children, who also taught in a local school, was usually non-violent and hard working, said Alan Parker, defending.

But he found driving taxis a stressful job because he had to deal with potentially violent customers.

"This had an adverse affect on him and for a short time he simply snapped," said Mr Parker. "It was a grave error of judgement and it's a terrible stain on his character."

He added it was likely Saleem would be sacked from his job when his case was considered by a local authority panel.