A driver has been jailed after a court heard he "used his car as a weapon" against a cyclist, assaulting him by knocking him off the road after repeatedly acting in a threatening and abusive way.
The driver, who had 65 previous convictions, also warned the cyclist not to report the road rage incident to gardaí while becoming threatening and abusive towards him, in three linked incidents.
The same motorist was found to be driving without a valid tax and insurance disc for the vehicle, which was seized by gardaí. He was before the court on five criminal charges in total.
Brian O’Sullivan, a 38-year-old from Gurrane, Clondrohid, Macroom, Co Cork, was jailed for three months by Macroom District Court.
He entered a guilty plea after being charged with not having tax and insurance discs, assault, dangerous driving and threatening and abusive behaviour.
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The assault was committed during a road rage incident when he caught up with the cyclist, after earlier abusing him, and pushed him into the ditch with his wing mirror, which made contact with the cyclist, according to Echo Live.
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The incident began as the cyclist was riding his bike at Coachford, Co Cork, at about 9.30am on March 24th last year. The driver, in a Volvo, overtook the cyclist closely and at speed.
When the cyclist saw the car in a supermarket car park a short distance away, he stopped to take photos. O'Sullivan appeared from the shop, became abusive and warned the cyclist not to make a report to the Garda.
After the cyclist left, riding away, the driver passed him again, pushing him into the ditch after his wing mirror made contact with the cyclist.
The driver then stopped his vehicle and shouted at the cyclist, both from inside the car and also after getting out, again warning him not to report to the Garda.
In August of last year another car registered to O'Sullivan was spotted by gardaí without valid insurance or tax discs and the car was seized.
Though those two charges were unrelated to the incident with the cyclist five months earlier, O'Sullivan came before the court on all five charges. O'Sullivan's lawyer said his client was under pressure at the time as his business was "falling apart", while he also had some issues with drugs.
However, O'Sullivan was sentenced to three months - for both the assault and dangerous driving charges - and banned from driving for two years.
He was also fined a total of €300 for not having valid tax and insurance discs. The charge of threatening and abusive behaviour was taken into account during sentencing by Judge Joanne Carroll.
