Driver who hit traffic warden is jailed
Jason Kelly told victim ‘I know where you live’
A motorist drove at a traffic warden and knocked him to the ground after he was given a parking ticket, a court heard before handing out a prison sentence.
An enraged motorist drove at a traffic warden and knocked him to the ground after he was slapped with a parking ticket. Jason Kelly, 46, had illegally parked his Renault van in a loading bay in Vernon Road, next to Scarborough Library, before going off on an “errand”.
When he returned to his vehicle he found a traffic warden putting a parking ticket on his windscreen, York Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Camille Morland said Kelly ripped the ticket off his windscreen, screwed it up and threw it to the ground on December 30.
Kelly sped off down Vernon Road but then drove back towards the traffic warden.
“The manner of driving, the speed and the engine noise was enough to attract the attention of members of the public,” said Ms Morland.
As Kelly approached the loading bay, he swerved left towards the traffic warden, who works for Scarborough Council and who tried to jump out of the way, but the van struck him on the hip.
Kelly claimed it was the vehicle’s wing mirror which had “clipped” the victim, but witnesses said the warden had been struck by the front of the van.
He was interviewed five days later but claimed the collision was an accident.
Kelly, a seismology surveyor for a geophysics company, later saw the inspector near a car in the street and erupted in fury and shouted to the warden: “Nothing changes, does it? I know where you live!”
Kelly was arrested again six days later, but only admitted the confrontation when police showed him video footage from a camera on the warden’s uniform.
The victim said he had suffered “severe” pain to his back, thigh, hip and fingers. He had sought medical attention and his employers had to put him on light duties for five months.
Kelly, of St Martin’s Avenue, ultimately admitted dangerous driving and witness intimidation and appeared for sentence last Thursday.
Defence barrister Jo Shepherd said Kelly was “thoroughly ashamed of his behaviour”. Kelly remained expressionless as he was jailed for 18 months and given a three-year driving ban.