Man jailed for repeatedly slamming pensioner in car door in road rage attack

Thirty six year old Richard Bennett of Stoke committed the heinous attack on 14 September 2016 on Coundon Street in Coventry.  His 69 year old victim was left covered in blood and needing stitches after Mr Bennett grabbed hold of the door in a vicious road rage attack to the OAP’s vehicle, as he tried to exit it and slammed it repeatedly against his arm and leg, before shouting abuse at him and fleeing the scene.

Police took statements from a number of witnesses after Mr Bennett denied the assault, claiming that the victims injuries were caused as a result of him falling over.  He claimed he had flagged down the pensioner wanting to speak to him about his driving, after the OAP had nearly caused an accident.  Mr Bennett eventually pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court and was sentenced to four years in prison for the “cowardly and needless” assault.

Rather shockingly, 8 out of 10 British drivers say they have been a victim of road rage in the previous 12 months.  A poll by Tyreshopper.co.uk of 2000 UK drivers in May this year, also found that the average driver was the victim of road rage three times in a year with 61 percent of drivers polled having suffered either a verbal or physical attack. The survey also found that women are almost twice as likely to suffer three or more incidents of road rage in a 12 month period.  Worryingly only six percent of all road rage attacks are reported, with the poll showing that 28 per cent of women and 14% of men and reluctant to get back behind the wheel after experiencing road rage. Another survey, conducted by American research company Gallup, of 1035 readers of the Max Power magazine, supported this with 80% of pollsters saying they had been a victim of road rage.  Only 14% of people who admitted causing road rage showed remorse for their actions and said their bad mood had affected their decisions, with most saying that their victims had “deserved it” or that they felt “fine” about it.

If you have been a victim of a road rage incident and have sustained physical injuries as a result of the attack, you could be eligible to make a claim for personal injury.

Oakwood Solicitors have recovered compensation for victims of road rage and other violent crimes through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).  This scheme is designed to compensate those who have fallen victim to violent crime, domestic assaults and abuse.  If you feel that you may have been victim of road rage, abuse or assault then contact us on 01132 009720 for a free and no obligation discussion.

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