Javid Ali, 29, of Thomas Street, Halifax, admitted possessing a prohibited weapon.

He was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and was given a community order for 18 months with a supervision requirement and 100 hours unpaid work.

Bradford Crown Court heard the offence occurred on July 13.

John Bull, prosecuting, said police stopped Ali driving his taxi after 2am in Hanson Lane, Halifax.

He said: "In the course of inquiries, a small CS gas canister was found under the driver's seat of the car."

Ali was arrested and initially denied the spray was his.

He claimed it was pepper spray but later accepted it was CS spray and that he had it for self defence reasons.

Mr Bull said Ali had previous convictions for possessing offensive weapons and in 2004 was convicted of having a similar spray.

Tim Stead, for Ali, said: "He has lost his livelihood because his taxi licence has been revoked as a result of this."

Mr Stead handed in copies of Press reports from November 2006 when it was reported in the Courier that Ali had been the victim of a brutal robbery while working as a cabbie.

He was working for GW Taxis, Sowerby Bridge, when two men he was taking to Pye Nest attacked him.

He was grabbed from behind and punched.

When he stopped the car, two other men joined in and racially abused him.

He was robbed of £50 takings and was left unconscious.

Recorder Mark Cran told Ali: "The court understands that as a taxi driver you do feel concerned for your safety."

He said the assault Ali suffered was "extremely unpleasant" but added: "Possession of a gas canister is completely out of proportion to defending yourself."