Road rage driver who chased cyclist and knocked him off bike guilty of assault

A driver in Scotland who chased after a cyclist in his car and knocked him over, breaking his pelvis, has been found guilty of assault by dangerous driving.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard that motorist James Carroll, aged 55, flew into a rage at cyclist Mark Grabham as the pair travelled through Renfrew, near Glasgow, earlier this year, reports the Daily Record.

Procurator Fiscal depute Keri Marshall, prosecuting, told the court: “At 1pm on Saturday, February 17, Mark Grabham was on his pedal cycle, travelling in Campbell Street, Renfrew, on his way home.

“A silver coloured Mercedes travelling at speed came from behind him and pulled in front of the witness, blocking his way.

“Mr Grabham pulled up to the car and gestured to the driver, the accused, regarding the manner of his driving.

“The accused got out of his car and said to the witness: ‘You were all over the road.’

“And he said: ‘Get off your bike and I will see you at the bottom of the street.’”

Mr Grabham however carried on riding, turning onto Ferry Road and then Kings Inch Road.

“He was aware of the silver coloured car passing him in the right hand side. The car then continued in front of him and stopped forcing Mr Grabham to stop,” Ms Marshall continued.

“He was able to move off in the gap between the car and the pavement. He continued along Kings Inch Road and again the silver coloured car pulled in front of him.

“This time the complainer was on the passenger side of the vehicle.

“He pushed the wing mirror in, in the hope it would stop the accused from seeing him, as he was trying to get away.”

The prosecutor said that Mr Brabham turned left into Mulberry Road to try and get away from Carroll.

“However, shortly after the silver coloured car collided with the right hand side of the witness’s bicycle, which caused him to fall on his right hand side,” she said.

“The silver coloured car reversed after stopping. The accused said something like, ‘It was your fault,’ and ‘You deserved it’.”

Ms Marshall added that Carroll got back in his car and left the scene.

She described how a woman who had heard “a clattering sound followed by a scream” looked out of her window and saw “Mr Grabham lying on the road, a silver coloured vehicle on the roadway with a male partially out of the car, shouting at the witness.”

The woman took pictures of Carroll’s vehicle on her mobile phone as he drove away from the scene.

Michael McKeown, speaking in defence of Carroll, who admitted assault to severe injury by dangerous driving, said: “After he had overtaken the cyclist the cyclist was gesticulating at him and shouting at him.

“He was bemused by this. It was possible the cyclist had been deviating or moving around in the road.

“He had managed to negotiate himself past the cyclist without incident.

“The complainer was unhappy about this. It is his position that the cyclist kicked his wing mirror, causing damage.”

Sheriff Seith Ireland told Carroll: “Dangerous driving always carries interim disqualification and as an interim measure for public protection you are disqualified from driving from today’s date.”

Sentencing has been adjourned until 12 August while background reports are compiled.