French film star Naceri jailed after fight

AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France, Feb 16 (Reuters) French actor Samy Naceri was jailed for four months today at the end of a week in which his latest film ''Taxi 4'' hit the screens.

Naceri, who has had several brushes with the law, was arrested following a fight outside a nightclub in the southern town of Aix-en-Provence in January. He is currently serving a jail sentence for racially insulting police officers.

The actor was sentenced to nine months in jail today, with six suspended, for the nightclub fight. He was also ordered to pay compensation to two security staff and a symbolic one euro damages to the nightclub.

In addition, he was sentenced on a separate charge to one month in prison with a fine of 5,000 euros (6,600 dollars). That charge followed a scuffle with staff at a hospital where he was taken when he swallowed a quantity of medicine.

Naceri, 45, plays the speeding hero of the Taxi series who won a prize at the Cannes festival for the wartime drama ''Indigenes'' (''Days of Glory'').

His lawyer said he accepted the sentences and would not be appealing. ''I think he's satisfied. It's an important day for him, he'll be able to start off again on a good footing,'' his lawyer Francoise Cotta said.

During the trial, Naceri admitted problems with alcohol.

Specialist cinema magazine Le film francais reported that ''Taxi 4'' had been seen by 450,755 film-goers on its first day, the most successful opening day in France this year.

Reuters KR VP0007