A road rage victim suffered a broken ankle after being punched by a driver he remonstrated with after “inconsiderate driving” on Manchester Road, Warrington, a court heard.
Aaron Rowe also “bullied” a woman driver, who had got out of her car to assist the victim, and bruised her leg by driving into her.
A judge yesterday (Wed) sentenced dad-of-two Rowe to 14 months imprisonment but after hearing about his wife’s health difficulties, including decreasing eyesight he suspended it for 18 months.
Sentencing the 34-year-old Judge Denis Watson, KC said that the incident happened on April 22 last year after Rowe had been driving “at the very least in a discourteous and inconsiderate way as you passed David Hoey”.
Mr Hoey braked sharply when Rowe overtook him along Manchester Road, Warrington and when they stopped at traffic lights Mr Hoey got out to remonstrate with him about his driving.
“You got out of your car aggressively and you attempted to bully him away by moving your head very close to his in an intimidating manner.”
Judge Watson said that Rowe then punched Mr Hoey which knocked him off balance and he fell and broke his ankle. People who had witnessed the incident were “outraged” and went to confront Rowe.
One of them, Emma Barr, stood in front of his car “but you bullied her out of the way because you started to move your car forward slowly. There was some contact and she got a bruise to her knee.”
In an impact statement Mr Hoey, 60, told how he needed surgery on his ankle involving inserting pins and he has been left with a scar.
He was not able to leave his home for two months and was on pain killers for 18 months impacting his work. His leisure activities are still compromised.
Rowe, of Palfreyman Drive, Warrington, pleaded guilty to driving dangerously and inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Jemma Gordon, defending, said that Rowe has no previous convictions and had pleaded guilty. He would inevitably lose his licence and this would cause difficulties in taking his wife to her hospital appointments.
The court heard that his wife has retinitis pigments which has left her blind in one eye and compromised vision in the other eye. She also suffers from fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Judge Watson ordered Rowe to carry out 135 hours unpaid work and 25 days rehabilitation activities. He banned him from driving for 12 months.
