AN 'enraged' taxi passenger who attacked a police officer was hallucinating -- and thought the driver was melting.

Burnley magistrates were told how Michael John Haggerty, 40, took up a martial arts stance, challenged an officer to 'a do' and threw a road sign at him. He was twice CS gassed after the first time seemed to have little effect.

Haggerty, who had claimed his drink was spiked -- and in his youth thought he could take on the world -- was sent to jail for four months. The bench said he had offended while subject to two conditional discharges and a community service order and there was no evidence anything was put in his drink.

The defendant, of Pickard Close, Barnoldswick, had admitted police assault and two counts of offending during a conditional discharge.

The court was told how a taxi flashed its headlights at a police car in Colne and when an officer went over he immediately recognised the defendant.

He went to speak to him, but Haggerty became more and more agitated, danced around on the spot and adopted a martial arts-style stance.

Two officers tried to persuade the defendant to calm down, but he continued shouting threats and was warned he would be CS gassed. He urged officers to spray him and continued to lash out karate style.

Haggerty was gassed in the face, it appeared to have little effect, he was gassed again and then became totally enraged. He then picked up a steel roadworks sign and threw it at an officer, who was hit in the arm.

Mark Irlam, defending, said Haggerty had had two pints at his local and then got into a taxi to go to a friend's house. He recollected things going hazy and believed one of his drinks was spiked.