A TAXI driver who attacked a man so severely that he was left in a coma for more than a month has been jailed for three years.

Gary Whelan, of Laburnum Grove, Runcorn, was convicted of grievous bodily harm during a trial at Chester Crown Court earlier this month and was jailed on Monday.

The court heard the 45-year-old picked up the victim after he had been on a night out in Widnes in April.

The 39-year-old got into the taxi with four other people who had agreed he could share a taxi with them as they were heading the same way. Whelan dropped the man off at Chestnut Lodge, opposite the Co-op store on Liverpool Road, at the junction with Hale Road and Prescott Road.

There was a minor dispute between the group over the fare which was quickly paid in full, but Whelan grabbed the victim and accused him of not paying his share.

He punched him in the face where he fell to the floor, hitting his head and falling unconscious. The victim was taken to hospital with a serious head injury and was in a coma for more than a month.

He requires ongoing medical treatment and the effects of the assault will be long lasting and life changing.

DI Steve Jones, from the major investigation team, said: “This was a vicious assault on a vulnerable man which has had a devastating effect on him and his family.

“There was no need for Whelan to take issue with the victim that morning.

“The fare had been paid in full and the rest of the group did not want to make an issue of it.

“He got out of the taxi aggressively and clearly intended to resolve the dispute with his fist.

“His actions in driving off, leaving the victim with life-threatening injuries, were callous in the extreme.

“This case highlights the devastating consequences that just one punch can lead to. I am pleased Whelan has been punished for his reckless behaviour today.”