A DRUNKEN woman hurled racist abuse at a taxi driver she believed had run down her sister, a court heard yesterday.

Burnley Magistrates heard how Anne Marie Leonard, 38, racially abused the cabbie before turning her attentions on an Asian policeman in Colne town centre.

The court was told Leonard's sister was recently found on Burnley Road, Colne, after having suffered massive injuries. Her sister is still fighting for her life in hospital.

The sister had earlier been put in a taxi in Colne and the defendant was upset when she spotted the driver who took her on the journey still working.

Leonard, of Holme Street, Colne, admitted racially aggravated threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. She was fined £150. The bench told her they accepted the recent trauma had affected her judgement.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said the defendant was shouting that a taxi driver ran down her sister. She was warned about the abuse and urged the police to arrest her.

The Asian officer had never been subjected to such racial abuse in public while on duty in eight years in the police.

Brian Irlam, defending, said Leonard was not a racist and there was nothing on her record to show she was.

Her sister's upper body had been crushed and police were investigating the incident. She was at death's door and a relation had been taken from prison to the hospital to see her.

Leonard saw the driver who took her on that "last journey," and he was still working.

Mr Irlam said Leonard had been extremely anxious and depressed about the situation and friends had taken her out. The defendant had more drink than was good for her and in the cold light of day readily accepted that.

He added: "There are more things of paramount concern to Anne Marie Leonard at this time than what took place on Saturday night."