Damage was caused to victim’s car as well
Thomas Biggin appeared at Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)
An aggressive “road rage” confrontation turned nasty when a bad-tempered driver suddenly drove his car straight towards another motorist – and ran over his foot, causing serious injuries. There had already been a heated exchange between the two men after one of them earlier pulled out from a pub car park and cut right in front of the other, Hull Crown Court heard.
Thomas Biggin, 36, of Aysgarth Rise, Bridlington, admitted dangerous driving and assaulting the other motorist, causing actual bodily harm, on April 24 last year. He denied drink-driving and that charge was dropped.
Jazmine Lee, prosecuting, said that the man was driving home from work at about 7pm and he was in the Flamborough area, near Bridlington. A small car driven by Biggin pulled out from the car park of the Seabirds Inn and cut in front of the man’s car.
They both showed aggression to each other while driving along. The man turned left at a roundabout and he believed that this was the end of the incident.
But he later noticed the same Seat Leon car being driven very close behind him and flashing its lights at him on Sewerby Road, Bridlington. The man pulled over on that road. Biggin stopped his car in the middle of the road.
Both men got out of their cars. Biggin ran up towards the man and immediately started throwing punches. He was described as “windmilling” with the punches.
The man was wearing safety glasses because he had just finished work. “Those glasses were smashed into the side of his face due to the impact of the fists,” said Miss Lee.
Biggin continued to hit the other driver multiple times. The man tried to defend himself. Biggin got back into his car and the man thought that this was the end of the confrontation and he moved to get back in his own car.
Biggin drove directly at him and the car went over the victim’s foot and up to the bonnet. “It caused the driver’s side windows to smash,” said Miss Lee.
“The defendant then drove off.” The victim was initially left in shock and he did not really feel any pain at first. He tried to walk but realised that his foot was badly damaged.
There was damage to the door and bumper of his car. There were tyre marks on the wheel area. A window was smashed.
“There was clearly disregard for the risk of danger to others,” said Miss Lee. “It was a highly dangerous manoeuvre.” Biggin had a 13-year-old boy with him in the car at the time.
The man suffered swelling and bruises to his face. His foot was injured and he struggled to bear weight on it.
He was taken to hospital but had to return three more times for treatment to his foot. He needed time off work.
Biggin had convictions for 13 previous offences, including for assault and assaulting police. He also had convictions for drink-driving, having no insurance and driving with the wrong class of licence.
Charlotte Baines, mitigating, said that Biggin had pleaded guilty and acknowledged his behaviour and the effect upon the victim of “this sorry state of affairs”. He had shown victim empathy.
“He is deeply ashamed of his behaviour and his attitude on the day,” said Miss Baines. “He has displayed high levels of remorse for what he did that day.
“He recognises that he is prone to lose his temper, just as he did on this day. He was the first to approach the complainant in a very aggressive manner and he acknowledges that.
“The defendant accepts that he started this situation with his aggressive demeanour. It descended into a short fight.
“Members of the public were asking for them to desist.” Biggin had apologised in a pre-sentence report for getting back into his car, driving towards the other man and going over his foot.
Father-of-two Biggin was employed and he had not been before the courts since 2019. “He is capable of staying out of trouble,” said Miss Baines.
Recorder Anthony Kelbrick told Biggin: “You behaved extremely stupidly. You followed him deliberately close behind him, stopped when he did, got out and started a fight. It was your fault that it happened. What you did after that was excessively stupid.
“You could have caused him very serious injury. Happily, the injuries were significant but not life-threatening at least.”
Biggin was given a 15-month suspended prison sentence and 10 days’ rehabilitation. He was banned from driving for two years and he must pass an extended retest before he can drive legally again.
“If you commit any offence at all during the next 12 months, you are liable to go to prison for up to 15 months of the sentence that I have imposed,” said Recorder Kelbrick.
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