JAILED: Road rage attack thug is locked up
A driver who launched a vicious road rage attack, hitting his victim over the head with a torch and then laughing about the injuries, has been locked up for eight months.
Adam Colebatch forced Dean Lewis's car to stop on the A5 at Cannock and then attacked him with a long metal torch as the victim's wife and two children watched.
The blow caused a two-inch cut to the back of Mr Lewis's head, which was glued at hospital.
Colebatch, aged 28, of Newhall Street, Cannock, admitted charges of assault causing actual bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon. The unemployed HGV driver also had his three children in the car at the time.
Judge Michael Chambers QC told him: "This was a serious incident of sustained road rage. It requires an element of deterrent sentencing."
Mr Paul Farrow, prosecuting, said the incident started at traffic lights on the A5 in Bridgtown on December 14 last year.
Mr Lewis, who was driving a Lexus, had to take evasive action as Colebatch's Mercedes 4x4 tried to pull out on to the mainroad.
The victim could then see Colebatch making gestures as the Mercedes tailgated him along the A5 until Colebatch pulled in front, forcing him to stop. Mr Lewis got out, concerned that he had his wife and two children in the car. The defendant also got out clutching 'a long, black implement' in one hand.
Colebatch said 'you cut me up' and swung the torch at Mr Lewis, striking him to the back of his head. As Colebatch was about to take another swing, Mr Lewis grappled with him and pinned him over the bonnet of his car. An off-duty policeman intervened at that point, split them up and told both drivers to get back in to their cars.
"Mr Lewis heard Colebatch shout 'look at his head, look what I've done to him'. He was laughing when he said this," Mr Farrow told Stafford Crown Court.
Mr Lewis took Colebatch's registration number and drove off with his family. Police arrested Colebatch the next day when his car was spotted on the M6 service station at Stafford. He told officers that the other driver would not let him out and he had shouted at him.
He accepted he was angry and there had been a scuffle, although claimed he did not use any weapon. Mr Paul Hiatt, defending, said Colebatch now accepted he hit Mr Lewis with a torch.
