A County Durham driver ran over a dad and knocked him unconscious amid a long standing "bad blood" dispute.
Philip George was behind the wheel of his car and in a line of traffic when another driver - who he had "regular altercations" with - attempted to overtake. But as the driver tried to pass, he believed George "accelerated" in an attempt to prevent him from doing so and a violent incident soon followed.
George, 32, of Front Street, Frosterley, County Durham, appeared at Durham Crown Court this week to be sentenced for assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He had pleaded guilty to the offence.
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Ian West, prosecuting, said the incident happened on November 30, 2020, when George was in a line of traffic. The victim, who was with his wife and child, was a few cars behind in the same traffic queue.
He said: "He saw the defendant's vehicle and there had been bad blood between them in the past. He tried to overtake the line of vehicles and he perceived the defendant accelerated in an attempt to stop him overtaking.
"As the two vehicles approached Stanley, he got past the defendant's vehicle and saw the defendant gesturing to stop. He did stop, and got out and the defendant stopped also."
Mr West added: "As he approached the defendant's door, the defendant reversed and then drove forward, hitting him and knocking him onto the bonnet and he dropped to the road. The complainant was knocked unconscious and sustained a large cut to the back of his head and grazes to his face and hands."
George then took off, leaving the victim - who was still suffering from neck issues six weeks later - knocked out in the road. The man was also left with concussion and said in a victim statement that he sustained "possible neck and spine damage". The court was told George had seven previous convictions for seven offences, including for fly-tipping and drugs offences.
Jonathan Walker, defending, said George drove off from the scene and did not return and said he was "conscious there was a risk of further altercation". He did not address the court any further after the judge indicated he would pass a suspended sentence.
Sentencing George, Judge Jo Kidd, said: "You continued to engage with the victim in this case when there were regular altercations between the pair of you. That behaviour was immature and uncontrolled - unsurprisingly, matters reached a head as they did. You could have caused very serious injury and there was the potential for even fatal injury. You need to stay away from each other."
George was given a 16 month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was made subject of a six month curfew between 7pm and 7am. He must complete 20 rehabilitation days and a five year restraining order was imposed.
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