Ex-Villa star jailed for road rage attack

A FORMER Aston Villa player who launched a violent road rage attack on a student nurse has been jailed for nine months.

Former England youth international Riccardo Calder, 22, kicked, punched and hurled a shoe at the 24-year-old victim in a pub car park.

Calder, of Denholme Grove, Kings Heath, had previously been found guilty of assault following a trial.

Judge Mark Wall QC also made a restraining order, banning the footballer from having any contact with the woman for five years.

She had known Calder for about 12 months after they were introduced by his sister.

The footballer had played for the Villa Academy and been on the bench for the first team.

Mark Phillips, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said: “There is no suggestion there was any romantic attachment between the two.

“Simply they were friends who went out clubbing together from time to time.”

On May 6, the victim went out with a friend to the Bamboo club in Kings Heath.

She had intended to get a taxi to pick up her car afterwards, but they could sort it out later. “Clearly the defendant did not take the same view because he flashed her for her to pull over into a pub car park,” he said.

The court was told once they stopped in the car park Calder went over and punched the nurse through the open window of her vehicle.

In panic, she then tried to drive off and again collided with the Mercedes.

The footballer then repeatedly punched and kicked her using his foot to strike her through the window. She suffered bruising to her face and a fractured left thumb.

Judge Wall told Calder: “You were an angry man attacking a defenceless woman, alone inside her car. Throughout the case you have shown no regard for her at all.”

Abdul Iqbal QC, for Calder, said he had played for England at under-17 level and had been playing for Inverness Caledonian Thistle at the time of the incident.

But after the attack his contract was terminated by the club.

Mr Iqbal said at the time of the incident he had not been earning large amounts and that the Mercedes was his first possession and his “treasure”. then bumped into Calder, who offered to give her a lift in his Mercedes.

There came a point when they were in separate cars and she collided with the rear of the Mercedes.

Mr Phillips said the victim took the view that because they knew each other and she was insured

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