Furious motorist jailed after 'pursuing and repeatedly ramming' car of taxi driverhttps://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news ... ng-2031762Brett Lea, 33, of Melton Road, Wrawby, admitted dangerous driving and assault on December 3A furious driver pursued and repeatedly rammed the car of a taxi driver who bravely tried to save the man's wife from being further attacked.
It was "road rage in the extreme" and the aggressive driver went from "vicious cruelty to insanity", a court heard.
The taxi driver feared that he would be killed after the pursuing motorist tried to run him off the road.
Brett Lea, 33, of Melton Road, Wrawby, admitted dangerous driving and assault on December 3.
Richard Davies, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that Lea met his wife by chance in Brigg after they had split up. There was an argument.
She later went by taxi to her Broughton home but Lea also went there in his van.
He blocked her path into her home and punched and kicked her. He repeatedly knocked her down when she got up.
He told her: "I'm going to kill you."
The taxi driver called the police but Lea spotted him and reversed his van towards him at speed.
The frightened taxi driver managed to drive off but Lea followed him close to his bumper and was trying to ram him.
The taxi went into a cul-de-sac and Lea blocked him in before getting out and making threats.
The driver managed to escape but Lea pursued him and rammed his car several times, causing significant damage.
The taxi driver eventually managed to get away. He had been left with permanent nerve and other damage.
Lea claimed in court: "I just chased after him. I was mad with him.
"I thought he was just getting involved in something that was nothing to do with him.
"I caught up with him near the cul-de-sac. I sped up. I tried to get him to get out. I was shouting at him.
"I went to the passenger door to try to open it. I walked round to the driver's side and tried opening that."
He admitted banging on the window but denied deliberately driving at the back of the other car.
Lea had convictions for 21 previous offences, including assault and drink-driving.
Recorder Peter Makepeace QC said that Lea was "deliberately shunting" the car at "grossly excessive speeds" after the taxi driver stepped in while Lea was assaulting his wife.
"You turned your anger and aggression away from your wife and turned your aggression on him," said Recorder Makepeace.
"He was scared for his life. You pursued him again. This was when things got from vicious cruelty to insanity.
"You repeatedly shunted into the back of the car. It was extraordinary that he did not lose control of that vehicle and he wasn't killed or other people killed.
"You have completely lost your mind. Your anger was so great that you have lost any rational senses at all.
"It was road rage in the extreme. There was repeated and deliberate ramming of his vehicle.
"He believes that you were deliberately trying to kill him by running him off the road."
Lea was jailed for 14 months and was banned from driving for 19 months. He must pass a retest and was given a five-year restraining order.
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