A driver from Totnes has been jailed for knocking another motorist to the ground in a road rage attack.

Darren Smallridge was so annoyed by the other man’s driving that he stopped and got out of his car to confront him before hitting him so hard he fell backwards into the road and suffered a serious injury.

The incident happened on a road in South Devon last summer and has caused the victim to make major changes to his lifestyle, including giving up his hobby of walking on Dartmoor.

Smallridge, aged 53, of Higher Westonfields, Totnes, admitted causing grievous bodily harm and was jailed for eight months and disqualified for ten months by Judge Stephen Climie at Exeter Crown Court.

The judge told him: “The decision you took to hit the victim created the risk that he could have suffered a significant head injury and died. This was road rage and you were in a rage.

“Road rage cannot be tolerated and the public need to understand that even if it was short lived, it is likely to result in an immediate custodial sentence.

“You have demonstrated appropriate regret and remorse, you are a good prospect for rehabilitation and you have some personal mitigation, but on the other side I have to balance whether appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody.”

Miss Beth Rickerby, prosecuting, said the victim had suffered serious injuries which had serious effects on his life, including preventing him walking on Dartmoor. He had written an impact statement which said: “One moment of madness has destroyed my independence”.

Miss Evie Dean, defending, said Smallridge is very remorseful and accepts there was no excuse for what he did. She said he has no record of violence and has caring responsibilities for his two adult sons.

She said: “He is not normally impulsive. It was out of character and a terrible incident which he regrets. He has brought up his two sons on his own after his wife passed away with cancer. He has not troubled the courts before.”