Road rage thug in brutal attack on young dad
ATHUG who left a driver in hospital after a sickening road rage attack in front of the victim’s wife and a child has been jailed.
Adrian Betney moved into ‘fight mode’ at a red traffic light outside Accrington’s Asda store before punching Lee Hudston, Burnley Crown Court heard.
The victim was left with three intercranial bleeds, two scars to his head and a hole puncture to his lip and was hospitalised for five days after the attack.
Betney, 27, had earlier driven out in front of Mr Hudston, who was forced to brake hard to avoid a collision, and then took offence when the victim ‘not unreasonably’ beeped his horn.
The court heard how Betney’s pregnant partner tried to stop him, however he struck the victim with a ‘single heavy blow’.
Betney, of Tunstall Drive, Accrington, pleaded guilty to wounding and was jailed for 16 months.
JON MACPHERSON
ATHUG who punched a motorist during a road rage incident in front of the victim’s wife and a young child has been jailed.
Adrian Betney said he ‘moved into fight mode’ and dealt a ‘single heavy blow’ to victim Lee Hudston at a red traffic light outside Asda in Accrington, a court heard.
The 27-year-old had earlier driven out in front of Mr Hudston, who was forced to brake hard to avoid a collision, and took offence when the victim ‘not unreasonably’ beeped his horn, the hearing was told.
Burnley Crown Court heard how Mr Hudston was left with three intercranial bleeds and was hospitalised for five days after the attack on October 24 last year.
Betney, of Tunstall Drive, Accrington, pleaded guilty to wounding and was jailed for 16 months.
Joseph Hart, prosecuting, said police were called to the scene at around 2.30pm after receiving reports of an assault from three separate members of the public.
The court heard how Mr Hudston had been driving his van when Betney pulled out of a layby in front of him and causing him to brake hard and sound his horn.
Mr Hart said when both vehicles stopped at a red traffic light the defendant got out of his car and approached Mr Hudston.
The prosecutor said the victim also got out of his van because he was ‘conscious his wife [was] in the vehicle’.
The court heard how Betney’s pregnant partner tried to stop Betney, however he struck the victim with a ‘single heavy blow’.
Mr Hart said the father- of-two then briefly fled the scene before trying to return and offer help, but was ‘asked to leave in no uncertain terms by the victim’s spouse’.
The court heard how Mr Hudston suffered three intercranial bleeds, two scars to his head and a hole puncture to his lip.
Mr Hart said the victim is ‘still suffering the after effects of this incident’.
In a victim impact statement read out in court, Mr Hudston said the attack had caused a ‘great deal of anxiety’ to both him and his family.
He was forced to miss three weeks of work, can no longer lift anything heavy and his sense of taste and smell had been left ‘significantly damaged’.
He said: “This has affected me physically and mentally and my wife saw what happened that day and [was] terrified. I can’t remember the attack to this day.”