A man who punched a driver during a road rage incident has been fined £200

Joe Yeardsley, of Bay View Terrace, Laxey, hit the man then collected a pizza before leaving the scene.

He pleaded guilty to offences of common assault and property damage.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that the complainant said he was overtaken by Yeardsley who was driving at speed on Victoria Road on February 15, 2018, heading towards Broadway.

Yeardsley, who is 22, parked his Mercedes Spritzer outside a pizza takeaway on Broadway and the complainant pulled alongside to speak to him about his driving.

Yeardsley was said to have opened his door causing it to hit the complainant’s car.

His car then rolled into the complainant’s vehicle as Yeardsley failed to put the handbrake on properly.

The complainant called the police. Yeardsley was then said to have approached him and punched him in the face before running into the takeaway to collect a pizza.

As he came back out, Yeardsley then punched the wing mirror of the complainant’s car before driving away.

The complainant got Yeardsley’s name from the pizza shop staff and passed his details to the police.

Advocate Paul Rodgers said the case was unusual in that the offence was committed two years ago. He said Yeardsley had later been arrested for dangerous driving and then jailed at the Court of General Gaol Delivery.

The advocate said if the common assault and property damage offences had been before the court when he was sentenced in the higher court, it would have made no difference to the sentence.

Mr Rodgers said his client had been complying with a suspended sentence supervision order since his release from prison.

He must pay £125 costs.