Driver jailed for road-rage attack

A 72-YEAR-OLD Chadderton pensioner was jailed for eight months after he attacked a former member of the Great Britain cycling team and broke his ankle during an “appalling” road-rage row.

Experienced cyclist Stephen Booth needed surgery to put a metal plate in his ankle joint and was left suffering from nightmares and cold sweats following the incident.

Derby Crown Court heard that Mr Booth was making his regular daily ride along the main road from the town of Heanor towards the village of Loscoe, near Derby, on March 19.

The traffic had pulled over to let an ambulance pass and Mr Booth pulled out to overtake a silver Vauxhall, being driven by Russell Boyd, from Raymond Avenue, Chadderton.

The driver sounded his horn and the pair got into a row, ending in Boyd getting out and stamping on Mr Booth’s leg, breaking his ankle.

Boyd pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm and was given a one-year driving ban in addition to his prison sentence.

Marilyn Nair, prosecuting, said that Boyd’s vehicle had been stationary when Mr Booth began to overtake on his bike.

“On reaching the front of the car, the cyclist heard the engine start and the car proceeded to pull out,” she said.

“When the car came up behind, the driver was pipping his horn.

“The cyclist stuck his fingers up and the driver shouted ‘what’s your problem?’”

The court was told that as Boyd drove away, Mr Booth spat at his car.

Miss Nair said another motorist reported seeing Boyd “getting out of his vehicle like a man possessed” and standing in the middle of the highway.

When Mr Booth reached him, Boyd pulled him off the bike and stamped on his leg while one foot was still in a pedal.

Miss Nair told the court that Mr Booth used to be a member of the GB cycling team and “as far as he was concerned, he did nothing wrong in the way he was riding on that particular day”.

Sentencing Boyd, Judge Granville Styler, said: “This was a most appalling case of road rage, a premeditated attack on this cyclist. You cut him up then deliberately knocked him off his bike and drove off.”

Clive Stockwell, defending, said twice-married Boyd had never been in trouble before and drove 50,000 miles a year in a sales job because he needed to earn money to pay off debts of around £100,000.