A driver has been jailed after ramming another car off the road and forcing one of its occupants to jump for his life after he wrongly accused them of 'disrespecting' his orange Fiat Punto.
Brian Kendall, 28, had been waiting for his girlfriend at a petrol station when he overheard the driver of an Audi S1 say to a pal in a BMW: ''My car's faster than yours.''
Mistakenly assuming the comment had been aimed at him, father of two Kendall chased after both cars before pulling up alongside them at traffic lights and asking: "What the f*** were you saying you little s***?"
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He then drove onto a pavement to block the Audi, reversing towards it at speed before turning round so the cars were bumper to bumper and them ramming it three times.
One of the terrified passengers in the Audi got out but was driven at twice by Kendall forcing him to dive down a stairwell. He suffered a wound to his right knee whilst damage to the Audi was estimated at £3,500.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Kendall of Kirkholt, Rochdale, was jailed for 28 months after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm, dangerous driving and criminal damage.
The incident occurred at 10pm on 8 August 2018 when Audi driver Harris Wolfenden, 22, met up with one of his friend Scott Kirkbride, also 22, who was at the wheel of a BMW 1-series at a Texaco garage in Heywood town centre near Rochdale.
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Duncan Wilcock prosecuting said: ''Scott needed to fill up his car with petrol and the plan was for them and their passengers to go McDonald's.
''As they left the garage, there was some conversation or banter between the two and at the time, it would appear this defendant was just outside the garage waiting for his partner to come out. She was in her work clothes and was just finishing her shift.
''Something has been heard by this defendant which he believes was targeted at himself or his partner.
''Harris and Scott then drove their vehicles towards Heywood but at a set of traffic lights, the defendant pulled up alongside them wound his window down and said 'What the f*** were you saying at the petrol station you little s***?'"
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Mr Wilcock went on: "Lucas Le Monnier a passenger in Harris' car got out of the vehicle when he saw this defendant take his seatbelt off and get out of his car. But the defendant then got back into his own vehicle and drove towards Lucas who stepped back to avoid being hit.
''Lucas then saw the Fiat being driven on the wrong side of the road and was driven again towards Lucas who decided to run. There was screeching of tyres and headlights coming towards him and he humped down a stairwell to avoid being hit.
"He ended up in his back and was a little dazed and injured his right knee. He saw the defendant ram Harris's car.
''Lucas later told police how he still feels shaken up by the incident and is now a nervous passenger. Harris said the defendant turned in the street so he was parked bonnet to bonnet with him.
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"He said the Punto then hit his car three times. At one stage Harris was so scared he drove through a red light in a bid to get away.
''The dangerous driving was sustained. The defendant as used the Fiat as a weapon to inflict that injury."
Defending Kendall, Richard Conley said: ''He was in a state of extreme anxiety and depression when he behaved in this way. He has shown heartfelt remorse and does sincerely apologise for his behaviour.''
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But sentencing the defendant, Recorder Abigail Hudson told him: ''You had lost all control of yourself on this evening. You thought a young lad had commented that his car was faster than yours. You then followed his car and saw him at a set of red traffic lights."
She added: "It is difficult to imagine more dangerous circumstances than ramming a vehicle and driving at a pedestrian.''
Kendall was also banned from driving for 26 months which will start when he is freed from jail.
Featured Image Credit: Greg Balfour Evans/AlamyTopics: UK News, News, crime, UK