MOTORIST Kelly Vaughan has been jailed for nine months after "losing control spectacularly" in a road rage incident in Gloucester.
Vaughan, known as Ellis, 34, was imprisoned yesterday after Gloucester Crown Court was reminded how a jury had earlier found him guilty of dangerous driving, assault and affray.
Sentenced by Judge Jamie Tabor QC, who said he remembered the case "extremely well", driver Vaughan had knocked a cyclist off his bike before kicking and punching him while he lay on the ground.
The attack on cyclist Gareth Haycock happened on September 27 last year in the city's Hempsted Road.
In mitigation Jason Coulter, for Vaughan, said: "Clearly something happened at that junction that spectacularly irritated him."
Normally law abiding, and described by the probation service as having a "pro-social" attitude, Vaughan had however "lost control quite spectacularly", said Mr Coulter.
"I submit that the tragedy of his loss of control that evening is likely to be that those that are closest to him are probably going to suffer most."
Mr Coulter said that was because Vaughan was full-time carer to his young son and his partner was the main wage earner. But she was now likely to have to give up work to care for the child while Vaughan was not at liberty.
Judge Tabor told Vaughan: "A motor car in the hands of the wrong person is one of the most dangerous weapons there is."
Vaughan had pursued the cyclist, Judge Tabor said, and had tried twice to knock him off before kicking him after the third attempt when the victim finally lay trapped beneath the cycle.
"You had completely lost yourself," said the Judge, issuing Vaughan with nine months for dangerous driving, four for assault and three for affray, all concurrent. e was banned from driving for 18 months and will have to take a re-test before driving again.