Luton 'road rage' driver who brandished axe convicted

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-31988089

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A driver who pulled out an axe in a "road rage" confrontation in Luton has been ordered to do community service.

Norris Dennis cut up van driver Mark Pinnock on a mini-roundabout, both men stopped and argued and Dennis tried to "settle" it with the axe, jurors heard.

Dennis, 55, of Edgcott Close, Luton, was convicted of common assault and having a bladed article.

At Luton Crown Court Dennis was given a 12 month community order and ordered to carry out 140 hours unpaid work.

The self-employed gardener was also ordered to pay £1,500 towards the prosecution costs.

'Impulsive act'

Judge Stuart Bridge told him: "This was a loud and unseemly argument in the street, which you sought to end by producing a long handled axe and threatening Mr Pinnock with it.

"It was an impulsive act and one has to ask what might have happened if he had tried to grab hold of it."

In the witness box, Mr Pinnock said he was on his way to work from Marsh Farm to Milton Keynes, at about 11:00 GMT on 22 October 2013, when he turned right at the mini-roundabout in Bramingham Road.

He said both vehicles stopped and they "exchanged words" in the road.

Then he said Dennis went to the boot of his car and brought out an axe, saying: "I know how we can settle this."

Prosecutor Warwick Tatford said: "It was a daft and dangerous and criminal thing to do."

When he was questioned, Dennis said he had been acting to protect himself because he thought Mr Pinnock was going to get something from his pocket.

He said he had been stabbed in a road rage incident in the past.