POLICE have been accused of `mugging' the victim of a carjack bid - by charging him £177 to get the vehicle back after forensic testing.

The victim's mother hit out after being told to pay after the vehicle had been examined for fingerprints and other evidence.

She said other people would think twice about reporting similar offences if they knew how much it would cost to get their car back.

But the police said the demand for payment was made by mistake.

The 21-year-old victim, who has not been named, was attacked at about 11.10pm on Monday as he waited at traffic lights at Shore Head roundabout. He was the driver of a car with three passengers.

Three men approached the car and one hit the victim about the head and face before trying to pull him out.

But the driver managed to close the door and drive off.

The victim was driving a hire car after his own vehicle had been stolen from outside a house at Crosland Moor last Friday.

His mother said: "I really feel quite annoyed. He has been a victim of two hideous crimes in the space of 72 hours and now he has been handed a £177 bill."

She said the police had taken the hire car to Turner Brothers' garage at Holmfirth.

Although the garage displayed signs saying it took credit card payments the police had insisted she pay in cash.

But a spokesman for Huddersfield Police said there had been a misunderstanding and the demand for payment should never have been made.

"Where we have requested the vehicle to be recovered following a crime we foot the bill," he said. "We apologise for the misunderstanding and we will be contacting the complainant to reimburse the money."