A mother of four left a cabbie injured in a heated argument over a fare in which a teenager produced a large kitchen knife..

Angela Clarke, 33, lashed out at the victim, giving him a cut nose, after she was said to have punched him.

She was subject to a suspended jail term for receiving stolen goods at the time, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Clarke, whose husband is seriously ill and was due for more treatment the day she faced sentence, walked free from court, after a judge said it would be "cruel" to lock her up because of his health problems.

Judge Jonathan Gibson added fortunately the victim's injury was very minor and the defendant had no previous convictions for violence.

He said:"It is far more in the public interest that you be dealt with by a community order."

Clarke, of Craven Street, Accrington, had admitted common assault in breach of the suspended term and had been committed for sentence by Hyndburn Magistrates.

She was given six months supervision and must pay £25 compensation and £50 costs.

Philip Holden, prosecuting, told the hearing the victim put up his hands up to try and defend himself but suffered a one inch cut to the bridge of his nose.

He put the windows of his taxi up and a teenager jumped on the roof and then produced a seven inch knife. The victim notified colleagues and the police and a number of taxi drivers arrived.

Officers arrived, recovered the knife and the defendant and the teenager were taken to the police station.

Mr Holden said when questioned, Clarke said she had been £1.50 short of the £8 fare, there had been a row and she had caught the cabbie with her ring finger and injured him. The court was told the defendant had a number of previous convictions, but none for violence.

Daniel King, defending, said Clarke's behaviour had been out of character. She conceeded she had been drinking, but she was not raging drunk. She was recovering from a heroin addiction which had blighted her life.

Her partner had encouraged her to kick her habit, she had received treatment and she was now heroin free and on methadone.