Cyclist mown down by raging man in a camper van

A CAMPER van driver mowed down a cyclist in a terrifying road rage attack.

Alastair Burnell drove his van at Alan Smith after the pair had an argument on Newland Avenue, west Hull.

Hull Crown Court heard Burnell used his camper van as a weapon and Mr Smith, who works at the University of Hull, could have been killed.

The Honorary Recorder of Hull and the East Riding, Judge Michael Mettyear, told Burnell: "You could have killed him and you would have been be going to prison for a some time.

"It was more through luck than judgment that he was not injured more seriously."

Burnell, 30, had been driving too close to Mr Smith and the cyclist banged on the side of his van to warn him.

The pair had a brief altercation before Mr Smith, of Newland Avenue, cycled away.

Graphic designer Burnell, from nearby Sharp Street, then drove at Mr Smith, catching the back of his bike and knocking him to the ground.

Prosecutor Helen Wheatley said: "Mr Smith became aware of a camper van approaching behind him and became increasingly concerned he was being squeezed into the curb.

"He came to the conclusion the driver of the camper van had not seen him and banged on the side of the van.

"There was a heated exchange between them. Fearing the situation was going to escalate, he decided to cycle on.

"He went on a short distance and felt a shunt from behind and fell to the floor and lost control of the cycle."

The victim told Burnell "you have just swerved at me" before dialling 999.

Passers-by stopped to help him.

Mr Smith, who has cycled the same route to work and back for nine years, suffered grazes to his hips, ankles and elbow and abrasions to his head.

In his victim impact statement, he said: "As a result of this incident I was initially very nervous about being on the road on my cycle.

"My injuries were minor but were uncomfortable for a few days.

"I have regained my confidence now."

Burnell pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at 5.20pm on September 19 last year.

The Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence on a charge of attempted grievous bodily harm.

Burnell's barrister, Gurdial Singh, said to Judge Mettyear: "The use of a vehicle in this way clearly crosses the custody threshold but I seek to persuade you to suspend the sentence.

"He is a man without convictions or cautions against him. He is very well thought of and is spoken of in glowing terms.

"It could have been potentially very dangerous. Fortunately for him, it was not.

"It amounts to this – the police officer put it to him 'you had a verbal confrontation with a cyclist and it pushed you to breaking point and you have done something out of character and in the heat of the moment you have deliberately driven at him'.

"It was gross stupidity that has brought him before the court for the first time."

Judge Mettyear told Burnell not to behave so stupidly again.

He added: "You were driving this vehicle down a road and the cyclist was clearly concerned about the closeness to him that you got your van.

"If he could bang on the side of your van, you were too close.

"That was not the worst of it. You had heated words. You had words and he was telling you what you had done and you both had an altercation and you swerved at him.

"Anyone using a vehicle as a weapon for whatever reason deserves a custodial sentence and you are going to get one.

"It is just possible to suspend it. "You have been very, very lucky not going to prison. Do not do something as stupid as this again."

Burnell was given a three-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and banned from driving for 12 months.

He was given a curfew for four months from 7pm to 5am and was ordered to carry out 200 hours' unpaid work. Burnell will also have to take an extended retest when his ban expires.