A COUPLE attacked a taxi driver in a act of “sheer drunken sadism” after England’s World Cup draw against Algeria.

Tracey Kingwell and William Spencer have been banned from entering every pub and club in Suffolk for 12 months after the “atrocious and disgusting” attack on June 18.

The young couple appeared at South East Magistrates’ Court yesterday before District Judge David Cooper, who said a “less likely pair of thugs would be difficult to find”.

Wayne Ablett, prosecuting, said: “A taxi driver picked up both the defendants after 11pm in the evening. They had been to watch England against Algeria in the World Cup that afternoon and had been drinking throughout.

“They got in the taxi and the male defendant referred to the driver as ‘little Algerian boy’ and the taxi driver said he was not Algerian.”

Mr Ablett said when the cab stopped in Rapier Street, Ipswich, Spencer, 23, grabbed the driver’s tie and badge and asked for money off the fare because England had not scored.

The driver fled from his cab and Spencer, of Wades Lane, Shotley, head butted him in the face so he fell down and could feel someone kicking him.

Kingwell, of Pykenham Way, Hadleigh, hit the victim with her mobile phone as her partner shouted “England win”, the court was told.

Mr Ablett said the taxi driver managed to get up but Spencer hit him several times with his open car door while his partner continued to assault him.

An independent witness told police later that Kingwell, 24, had been laughing throughout the attack.

Both defendants also assaulted a police officer after they were arrested and taken to Ipswich police station.

Kingwell pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm and assaulting a police officer.

Spencer admitted racially aggravated actual bodily harm, assaulting a police officer and criminal damage.

Judge Cooper heard the pair, who were both smartly dressed in dark suits, had shown genuine remorse for the attack which was “completely out of character”.

Labelling it “a total outrage” and “sheer drunken sadism”, Judge Cooper added: “You both had drunk so much that you lost control of your senses.”

Kingwell was given a one year community order, made up of nine months’ supervision, 80 hours unpaid work and an electronic tag from 9pm to 6am for four months.

She was ordered to pay costs of �85.

Spencer was given a 20- week jail sentence, suspended for one year, ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, tagged from 9pm-6am for four months and ordered to pay �500 compensation to the taxi driver and �85 costs.

They were both banned from entering every pub and club in Suffolk for 12 months.