Justice moved swiftly in Ballarat today when a 48-year-old man was jailed just hours after he racially abused and threatened to kill an Indian taxi driver.A magistrate sentenced Paul John Brogden, of Navigators, to three months' imprisonment little more than 12 hours after he attacked the driver in Ballarat this morning.The court was told Brogden and his brother got in the taxi in Mair St at 2am and asked the 24-year-old driver to take them to Navigators.

Brogden, who was drunk and had taken valium, became abusive towards the driver after asking him to take a shorter route.He told him he would kill him when he dropped them off, then racially abused him.The court was told the taxi driver stopped at a service station in Sebastapol out of fear and went inside.Brogden followed and continued to abuse him.He then got into a fight with a man at a petrol bowser before smashing the taxi windscreen and damaging a GPS device.

Brogden pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful assault, one count of making threats to kill and one count of intentionally damaging property.Defence lawyer Philip Lynch said Brogden was appalled at his behaviour and has instructed him to seek a prison sentence.Magistrate Michelle Hodgson was happy to oblige."The courts and the community will not tolerate violence to people performing jobs in the community, vulnerable jobs," Ms Hodgson said as she jailed Brogden.Mr Lynch told The Age this afternoon his client had insisted the matter be dealt with quickly, something the magistrate was "quite happy’’ to do.

Asked about character references and court reports, Mr Lynch said Brogden "wanted none of that"."He just wanted me to go into court and do it,’’ Mr Lynch said.Mr Lynch said he felt as though he was ‘‘tap dancing in a minefield’’ but had to act as his client instructed.