Kickboxer chased elderly driver at 80mph before breaking his jaw in road rage attack

A kickboxer’s “high-speed road rage” left his victim with a broken jaw after a brutal, unprovoked attack.

Matthew Brady threw a “champagne shaped bottle” out of his car window as he chased his victim Brian Sowerby driving up to 80mph.

As the victim tried to get away the 21-year-old dad “punched him several times causing him to fall to the floor”.

Brady then delivered a “massive blow to the head” by kicking the fisherman which led him to suffer a fractured jaw.

The 13-minute incident of “crass stupidity” has left the victim suffering flashbacks and anxiety according to reports in The Mirror.

Brady admitted dangerous driving and grievous bodily harm on April 19.

The dad-of-one appeared at Teesside Crown Court for sentencing on Friday.

Peter Sabiston, prosecuting, said the victim was driving on the A66 at about 2.30pm on January 3, last year, when the defendant was driving behind him in a black Saloon car.

Brady was driving between 70 and 80mph and “flashing” his lights at the victim’s car which he “assumed was a police car”.

The victim then pulled his van to the left-hand side of the dual carriageway when Brady overtook him and applied his brakes.

Mr Sabiston told how Brady, who was also travelling in the car with another male, threw a “champagne shaped bottle” out of the car window causing the victim to swerve.

The court heard how the victim tried to seek refuge at Dogs Trust in Darlington and got out of his vehicle to ask “what this was all about”.

Brady then got out of his vehicle and “punched him several times causing him to fall to the floor,” the prosecutor said.

When the victim was on the floor, he then kicked him to the head, fracturing his jaw.

Mr Sabiston added that Brady was a “kickboxer” and “punched him in the ear which put him to the ground”.

The victim recalled a “massive blow to the head” then woke up in an ambulance being transported to Darlington Memorial Hospital. The court heard how the victim had an enjoyable day fishing before the incident which still “haunts him”.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Sowerby said the attack has affected him “financially, mentally and physically”.

The dad suffers “flashbacks”, anxiety, he is not able to drive past the location of the attack in Sadberge, and is still under a consultant for his jaw.

Brady, of Windmill Terrace, Norton, had no previous convictions, the court heard.

Ian West, mitigating, said Brady was 19 at the time of the incident and has remained out of trouble for almost 18 months.

He added it was “crass stupidity arising from road rage” and Brady’s “emotions overwhelmed common sense”.

Recorder Simon Jackson QC said Brady was involved in a “persistent pursuit of aggressive driving” and outlined he had “experience and expertise in martial arts”.

He told how the “high-speed road rage” led to “serious violence” branding it “crass stupidity”.

The judge jailed Brady for 22 months, with a six-month concurrent sentence for dangerous driving, and disqualified him from driving for 23 months.

He was also ordered to pay the victim £2,000 compensation.