A MINICAB driver has struck a blow for the ordinary motorist by winning a court case over a car hire bill.

Steve McKenzie's case also highlighted the vast sums accident assistance firms charge insurance companies for supplying temporary replacement cars to accident victims.

Mr McKenzie, 49, who earns £60 a day at the Mastercar Hire minicab firm in Station Approach, Bexleyheath, discovered he was being charged £160 a day by Auto Assist for a replacement car.

He approached the company after his Ford Mondeo, which he used for his job, was badly damaged in an accident in July 2003.

Auto Assist lent him a Renault Scenic so he could continue to work and assured him the cost would be paid by the other driver's insurance company.

But Mr McKenzie ended up with bill for £3,224 £2,961 for just 18 days' car hire, plus a payment for damage to the car and interest.

Mr McKenzie refused to pay and said he had only been able to afford to bring the case to court because his union, the GMB, provided him with legal support.

He said many other motorists had probably been forced to pay up in similar circumstances.

Mr McKenzie was also shocked at the amount of money Auto Assist charged enough to buy a new £9,000 car every 52 days.

He said: "It is an absolute scandal. And it is not the insurance companies who pay but ordinary drivers.

"It is an out-and-out scam and it is about time the Financial Services Authority, which regulates insurance companies, looked into it."

Mr McKenzie's insurance company wanted to write off his Mondeo but Mr McKenzie, of Lowfield Street, Dartford, refused.

At the end of October, he finally settled for £2,800 and put the Mondeo into the garage for repairs.

Auto Assist then asked for the Scenic back but Mr McKenzie explained he still needed it until his car was repaired.

On November 17 he handed back the Scenic but was shocked to receive the bill from Auto Assist two months later.

His case went to Dartford County Court, where the GMB provided him with a barrister.

In a draft reserved judgement, to be given on December 12, Deputy District Judge John Calver dismissed Auto Assist's claims for money.

He upheld Mr McKenzie's claim Auto Assist had agreed to let him keep the Scenic until his car was repaired and had not indicated he would personally be liable for the charges.

The judge also agreed an Auto Assist employee had checked the car when he collected it and found no damage.

Auto Assist declined to comment.