A MOTORIST who struck a man with the front of his car when he drove off from a road-rage incident on his way to work at Rolls-Royce has been banned from driving.
The incident started when Marcus Dolman became annoyed because a car in front of him – in the outside lane – slowed right down as it approached a roundabout on the A50 in Sudbury.
Dolman, 39, beeped his horn and then got out of his car and shouted at the other motorist, Keith Facey, Derby Crown Court was told.
Mr Facey got out of his car, and Dolman got back into his and "started to drive off as Mr Facey approached", said Sarah Allen, prosecuting.
"He drove off and collided with him (Mr Facey) causing him to slide on to the bonnet of his car, causing him pain to his shoulder and jaw on hitting the car.
"The defendant drove off and was followed by Mr Facey to enable him to get the registration number."
The court heard that Dolman, of Chapel Green, Doveridge, had no previous convictions, was "a family man" and had "glowing references" from his employers at Rolls-Royce.
Handing Dolman a nine-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, Judge Ebrahim Mooncey said: "It's a shame to see someone like you stood in a Crown Court getting sentenced, but clearly your conduct on that morning was outrageous. You were in your motor vehicle when you approached a roundabout – in front, Mr Facey slowed down.
"What is required when driving byways and highways is a lot of patience. You should have kept quiet and not got out of your car."
He said Dolman had made "a glancing hit" to Mr Facey, which knocked him but didn't cause him to lose his footing.
"He ended up on your bonnet and had some discomfort to his shoulder and jaw," said Judge Mooncey.
The court heard that Dolman, who admitted dangerous driving, "deeply regretted" his actions on that day.
Dolman was ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months and to pay £500 compensation to Mr Facey and £620 court costs.
He was disqualified from driving for a year and told he must pass an extended test before he can drive again.
awalsh@derbytelegraph.co.uk
