A DRUNKEN taxi passenger threatened to kill the driver and ‘cut him up’, a court heard.

David Edward Jewitt was said to have made the threats following an intense three-hour alcohol binge at a hotel.

The 40-year-old Ulverston man was charged with using threatening and abusive words towards driver Amin Nourozi-Dizaj while getting a lift back to the town.

South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court in Barrow heard the defendant had been drinking with his partner at the Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa in Windermere.

Jewitt pleaded guilty to the offence, which occurred around 11pm on October 19.

The court heard the man and his partner were told to get out of the taxi by the driver when they reached Newby Bridge.

Prosecutor Lee Dacre told the court: “At 11pm the complainant was working as a taxi driver.

“He went to the Low Wood to collect the defendant and his partner to take them back to Ulverston.

“During the journey the defendant became abusive towards the driver. He said ‘I’m going to kill you’ and ‘I will cut you up into pieces and take your head off.’ The taxi driver said he stopped at Newby Bridge and left the couple at the side of the road.

“He told police he had drunk eight pints and two shots of spirit in a three-hour period.

“He can’t recall the words he had used and apologised in interview.”

Maureen Fawcett, defending Jewitt, said he sincerely regretted what he did.

She said: “Mr Jewitt is 40 years-old and hasn’t troubled the court before.

“During the interview remorse was shown and still shows remorse today. He recalls that he thought the taxi driver was going too fast and wanted to tell him to slow down. But he knows it was over and above what he should have said. He is so apologetic.”

The court heard Jewitt, of Monument Way, is an engineer who works for himself.

The defandant was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work

Chair of the bench Stephen Sim told him: “I hope you learn from this.”