Man who dragged a driver from his car in a Powys road rage incident narrowly avoids prison

A man who admitted dragging another driver from his car and assaulting him, during a road rage incident, has narrowly avoided being sent to prison.

Matthew Plumb left Lee Langley with a fractured leg following the incident, which occurred after Plumb had overtaken the complaint's vehicle on the A470 near Erwood on September 21 last year.

The 47 year old of Sunny View Lane, Llwyn Du, Abergavenny pleaded guilty to one charge of assaulting a person, thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm, when he appeared at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court recently.

Pre-sentence reports were ordered and he was sentenced at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Prosecuting, Mr Rhys Rosser said: “This was a road rage incident.

“The defendant had been overtaking the victim's vehicle and they had collided somewhat.

“They stopped by the side of the road and the defendant pulled the driver of the vehicle from his car.

“He kicked him to the leg, which resulted in Mr Langley sustaining a partial fracture.

“He required a hospital diagnosis and treatment. Words were exchanged and punches were thrown, though these didn't result in any injuries.

“There were marks on the victim's neck where he was pulled onto the grass verge.”

Mitigating, Mr Bell acknowledged that the use of his client's foot made the offence more serious.

He said: “Having looked at the medical evidence, Mr Langley went to Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr and was given a clean bill of health.

“Then he went to the Royal Gwent Hospital where he was diagnosed on September 27 with a fracture to his left calf bone, a hairline fracture.

“It wasn't put into a cast, he was given a specialised boot and crutches, then discharged.”

Mr Bell said his client had no previous convictions.

Magistrates gave him a suspended sentence order of eight months in prison suspended for 12 months. He will have to complete 100 hours of community work and pay £250 compensation to Mr Langley.

Plumb will also have to pay £85 costs but no surcharge because the compensation will take priority.