A taxi driver, who killed a man with a punch in his anger at a hoax callout, was found guilty of manslaughter Tursday.

The jury in the trial of cabbie Mazhar Ali, 26, were told after returning their guilty verdict that he had two previous convictions for assault six years ago.

The court had heard that Ali lost his temper after turning up to collect a fare from a house in Stockton on New Year's Eve and was told that nobody had called a cab.

Colin Arnold, 34, who had been at a family celebration in Brignall Road, Stockton, left the house and spoke to him, said prosecutor Stephen Ashurst.

Ali of Park Road, Stockton, grabbed him and began shouting racist remarks. Ali said he punched Mr Arnold once and the man fell onto the pavement hitting his head.

Ali knocked at the house door and reported that a man was lying injured and angry relatives chased his cab banging on the sides. He surrendered to police two days later.

He was found guilty of a charge of the manslaughter of Mr Arnold of Sadberge Road, Stockton, and the Recorder of Middlesbrough Judge Peter Fox QC remanded him in custody for a pre-sentence report.