A 37-year-old motorist who broke a man’s arm with a car jack during a road rage incident on Shropshire’s M54 was today jailed for two and a half years.

Scott Smith-Howard forced victim John Phillips’s van on to the hard shoulder near the Shifnal junction of the motorway because he thought he did not move out of the outside lane quickly enough, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.

He then took a metal bar, believed to be a jack handle, out of his van and attacked Mr Phillips, breaking his wrist.

Smith-Howard was jailed for 30 months after admitting causing Mr Phillips grievous bodily harm with intent on May 13 last year.

Judge Robin Onions told Smith-Howard road rage incidents which result in serious injury can always expect a custodial sentence.

He said: “A message has to go out to you and everybody else on the road. Count to 10 then count to 10 again.”

Miss Jabeen Akhtar, prosecuting, said: “The incident occurred at about 8.15pm when the complainant John Phillips was driving a white van eastbound on the M54 between junctions three and four.

“He was in lane two when the defendant came up behind him in a grey van with his headlights flashing and forced the complainant into the nearside lane. As the defendant’s vehicle pulled level to him he was seen to stick his fingers up and appeared to be shouting.

“The defendant edged his vehicle towards the complainant and forced him to move off the motorway onto the hard shoulder. He then got out of his vehicle armed with a metal bar or a jack handle.

“The complainant stayed in his car and the defendant proceeded to strike him with the bar, the complainant put his hands up to protect his head and was struck on the right wrist.”

The court was told the attack continued with Smith-Howard, of Paton Street, Leicester, shouting that Mr Phillips had blocked him on the motorway.

When Mr Phillips tried to get to his mobile phone to ring the police Smith-Howard returned to his van, smashing the window to get in as he had locked himself out, and drove away.

Mr Phillips was later treated at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

Mr Nick Berry, for Smith-Howard, said the incident was out of character and that he was very remorseful.

By Rhea Parsons