A BANK manager was cleared by Huddersfield magistrates of assaulting a taxi driver after a works Christmas party.

The court heard that Andrew Davison, of Holmebank Mews, Brockholes, was in a scuffle with Wahid Asfi outside his house on December 10 last year.

Prosecutor James Bourne- Arton said that Davison, 42, who denied an assault charge, had headbutted Mr Asfi three or four times, causing him to suffer two black eyes and a swollen nose.

Mr Asfi's jacket was produced in court, which displayed a large bloodstain and a sleeve which was ripped off.

But Davison claimed he had accidentally banged the driver with his head and had hit him only in self-defence.

Mr Asfi, who worked for Diamond Cars, Chapel Hill, at the time, said he picked up Mr Davison from Armitage Bridge Working Men's Club, known as the Monkey Club, and dropped him off at his home.

A fight broke out outside the car and Mr Asfi claimed he was badly assaulted.

"He came up to me and got hold of me by my jacket and started headbutting me a few times," he said.

Ms Suzanne Dufton, of Holmebank View, said in a statement that she arrived home at 10.20pm and saw an incident in the street.

She heard an Asian man calling for someone to phone the police.

She said: "The Asian man walked up and said "look what he has done to me. He has headbutted me".

"I saw blood pouring from his nose and his jacket was badly torn and the front was pulled away with the webbing showing inside. He seemed dazed and confused."

Davison, who works for the Nat West bank, said he had been out with colleagues.

Afterwards he went on to Armitage Bridge Working Men's Club, near where he used to live.

He believed he had drunk three pints of beer, a bottle of wine and two to three bottles of Pils lager.

A taxi was called for him, but

at home he disputed the fare as he was asked for £8 instead of the £5 he had paid before.

Davison said that his head clashed with Mr Asfi's as he reached to get his money out of his pocket.

He claimed he was then hit by the taxi driver and so punched him back.

Davison said he did not remember what happened afterwards but denied headbutting Mr Afsi.

He ended up on the floor but could not explain how.

"I did not get up off the floor for what seemed like a long while because I was incapable of getting up as I had suffered an assault and because of the fact that I had had too much to drink," he said.

Neighbour, Mr Jeremy Hoyle, 31, of Holmebank Mews, said he had been coming back from The Rock pub on the night and saw the incident happen.

He said he did not see Davison clash heads with Mr Afsi and neither did he see him headbutt him.

"It was more scuffling," he said. "I saw him push him away or grab hold of him but I could not make out what was going on."

Chairman of the bench, Mr John Scott, said magistrates found the events to be those as described by Mr Hoyle, who was the only independent witness. He awarded Mr Davison's costs.