Van man jailed for bike road rage

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A driver has been jailed for nine months for deliberately knocking a man off his bike in a road rage attack.

Tahir Chaudhry, 34, swerved his van at the bicycle following an altercation at a set of traffic lights in Edinburgh.

The victim, Greig Walker, suffered concussion and multiple cuts and bruises. He had to have five stitches.

Chaudhry, of Colinton Road, drove off after the collision. A passer-by noted the van's registration number which enabled police to track him down.

I have to take a very serious view of this matter which is a very bad example of road rage Lord McEwan

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that it was fortunate Mr Walker was wearing a helmet when he was knocked to the ground.

Judge Lord McEwan told Chaudhry that he took into account his good background and references provided on his behalf.

However, the judge said: "Nonetheless, I think in the public interest to suppress road rage I have to pronounce a custodial sentence.

"I have to take a very serious view of this matter which is a very bad example of road rage."

He was jailed for nine months and banned from driving for five years.

Bike clipped

Chaudhry was originally charged with attempting to murder Mr Walker.

The Crown accepted his guilty plea to an alternative charge of driving dangerously and causing a collision which left the victim unconscious and severely injured.

The court was told Chaudhry's van undertook Mr Walker's bicycle at a junction and went across his path. The cyclist shouted at the driver.

The van was ahead of him on Wester Hailes Road but did an emergency stop and reversed towards him. As the van picked up speed the cyclist decided to take evasive action and mounted a verge.

Mr Walker continued back onto the road ahead of the van but as he cycled he could hear the van picking up speed, the court heard.

The court was also told that witnesses saw the van swerve deliberately towards the bike, clipping it and throwing the victim to the ground.