Three men who brutally attacked and robbed a taxi driver on his first day at work were jailed for more than 12 years.

The trio, from Great Harwood, got in a cab driven by their victim, 41, in Preston and told him to take them to Whalley.

But Ibrahim Ahmed Member was later told to turn off the main road and ended up on a dirt track.

He was repeatedly punched and £700 was stolen from him.

Ian McMinn, 20, of Blake Gardens, pleaded guilty to robbery and received three years, three months youth custody.

Daniel Jones, 19, of Garden Street, and Reece Vickery, 20, of Coleridge Place, denied the offence, but were convicted after a trial and each sentenced to four-and-a-half years.

Judge Stuart Baker at Preston Crown Court said: "It was a mean offence and an attack that right-thinking people could only regard as cowardly."

Mr Member, in his newly bought cab, was working near Preston bus station on December 3 last year. Around midnight he was in a queue of taxis on Church Street rank when the three defendants approached, asking to be taken to Whalley, the court was told.

Another driver had refused to take them because they were drunk and rowdy, the court heard.

Miss Shazia Naqui, prosecuting, said as the vehicle approached Whalley, one of the three asked him to turn off onto a country road.

McMinn climbed out of a rear window. Mr Member went on to be dragged from his vehicle. He was then punched by McMinn a number in the head and face, she said.

"Even after taking the money the attack continued with him being punched to the head and face countless times," said Miss Naqui.

John Woodward, defending McMinn, said he had owned up to what he had done early on.

Roger Baldwin, defending Vickery, said Vickery had served in the Army. The offence followed a planned night out with Daniel Jones in Preston.

Mark Stuart, defending Jones, said there was no agreement to commit robbery, just to leave the taxi without paying.