A van driver, Adrian Burrows, assaulted a cyclist by punching him in the face during a road rage incident because the cyclist was not using a nearby bike path.
The cyclist and his wife were riding on the road when Burrows, angered by their presence, hurled abuse at the cyclist calling him a “f**king Southerner”, and stopped his van abruptly, leading to the confrontation in which Burrows punched the victim and also picked up the man’s bike and threw it on the ground damaging it.
Burrows, 40, of Chapel Garth, Skipsea, East Yorkshire, admitted to assaulting the cyclist, causing actual bodily harm, and damaging the bicycle during the altercation in Bridlington.
The cyclist suffered physical injuries including swelling, sore ribs, bruising, and a laceration to his ear that required medical treatment.
The bicycle sustained damage with repair costs amounting to £133.
The incident left the cyclist feeling anxious and nervous about cycling on roads due to perceived hostility from drivers.
Burrows had a previous conviction for possessing cannabis but had no prior history of violence.
During court proceedings, it was acknowledged that Burrows’ actions were excessive and not justified as self-defense.
Recorder Ayesha Smart criticized Burrows for engaging in violence instead of de-escalating the situation by staying in his van.
Burrows was sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay compensation for the bicycle repairs.
Man ordered to do community service after assaulting cyclist in Bridlington
