A TAXI driver has been banned from driving after crashing into a Southampton roundabout while taking two women home in the early hours of the morning.

Satnam Roath ended up in the middle of Millbrook Roundabout after hitting the kerb.

Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard Roath became angered after missing out on a fare, and drove “fast” and “dangerously” before crashing.

The 30-year-old was disqualified from driving for 18 months after being convicted in his absence of driving without due care and attention.

The court heard he had picked up two women, Chloe McDonnell and Destiny Foreman, from a taxi rank in Southampton in February last year before being instructed to drive them to the Saints Pub in Millbrook.

On the way Roath was stopped by a group of men outside a casino, who said he had promised them a lift home.

The court heard that the men offered Roath £60 for a lift, prompting him to tell Miss McDonnell and Miss Foreman that his taxi had “broken down”.

When they refused to leave the vehicle, Roath told the men he would return before driving “fast” and “dangerously” towards Millbrook.

Miss McDonnell told magistrates that Roath had reacted angrily to their refusal to leave the taxi and told the pair that he would “lose sleep” over the lost £60 fare.

Miss Foreman told the court: “His manner of his driving was fast but it did not seem like he was going to slow down. I felt a bit scared as we had not seen a taxi driver drive as fast as he was driving.”

“It did not seem like he was going to stop.”

On approach to Millbrook Roundabout, Roath sped up to pass through a set of traffic lights which were turning from amber to green, before trying to turn the vehicle, the court heard.

Magistrates were told Roath lost control of the wheel, shouting “hold on” to the two women before the vehicle hit the roundabout, coming to rest in the centre.

Miss McDonnell and Miss Foreman fled the taxi to a nearby McDonald’s restaurant and called Miss McDonnell’s mum to pick them up.

On returning home, they spotted PC Brendan Moseley driving on the roundabout and pointed Roath out to him.

PC Moseley said he conducted a roadside breath test on Roath, which gave a zero reading.

He checked the vehicle and said the damage was consistent with it hitting a kerb.

PC Moseley was told by Roath that the two women were taking selfies, causing him to become distracted.

But in a police interview Roath said he had asked the women which exit to take off the roundabout.

Roath said after not receiving a reply, he checked his mirror and continued to look at it before crashing.

The court heard that the aftermath of the incident left Miss Foreman with back pains, forcing her to sign off work for a week.

Roath, of Bassett Avenue, was also handed a £660 fine and ordered to pay £655 court costs plus a victim surcharge of £65.

Two years ago he was one of four members of his family cleared at Southampton Crown Court of attacking a group of brothers.

The case followed an incident which happened in Clovelly Road on the day of the city’s Vaisakhi festival and followed a dispute between two families.