A cyclist was left injured when a Land Rover driver reversed into him on a country road.
Alexander Turner was out riding with a friend in Northumberland when Rhys Bell swore at them and shouted loudly for them to get out of the way. As he drove past, Mr Turner slapped his car, a court heard.
Bell them stopped and reversed, crashing into Mr Turner, leaving him injured and writing off his bike. Bell then fled the scene of the collision, with the cyclist lying in the road. Bell, 22, was found not guilty of dangerous driving by a jury but convicted of careless driving and admitted failing to stop after an accident.
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Newcastle Crown Court heard it was on Sunday October 4 2020 around 1.30pm on Green Lane, Northumberland, that Bell drove across a bridge and saw the cyclists in the road ahead. Sentencing him, Recorder Andrew Latimer said: "You swore at Alexander Turner and told him loudly to get out of the road.
"As you drove off he slapped the side window of your vehicle and began to cycle away from you. The incident could have ended there with you going in opposite directions.
"What happened next was your fault. You chose to reverse and go back to speak to him. I'm sure, having heard the trial, you reversed at speed and in doing so you wanted to make your presence felt.
"He saw you reversing and the GPS print out shows he increased his speed to try to avoid the impact. You collided with his bike. You knocked him to the ground and reversed over the rear wheel of that bike, coming within inches of his foot.
"He was shocked and believed the vehicle was about to reverse over him. I'm sure that's exactly what he feared. It was a frightening experience."
The judge said Mr Turner suffered "painful abrasions and grazes" and his bike, which was insured, was a write off. He told Bell: "You should have stayed at the scene at that stage. In fact, you drove off. You left him on the ground on a country road.
"Four days later you handed yourself in to the police, probably when you realised they would be looking for you."
Mr Turner said in a victim impact statement: "Beyond my superficial physical injuries and damage to my bike I've never feared for my life in such a way. After the incident I was shocked and angry but relieved he had no run over me.
Bell, of Whitelaw Place, Cramlington, Northumberland, who has no previous convictions, was sentenced to a 12 month community order and must pay the victim £600 compensation and was fined £400. He was also banned from driving for six months.
His barrister said losing his licence would have an impact on others and said he earns £800 a week.
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