A man from Lye who drove twice into a traffic warden in Dudley Town centre has been jailed for ten months.

Mohammed Nazabuth, of Crabbe Street, was told his angry actions must have been "utterly terrifying" for warden Anthony Harris who was now seriously considering giving up the job. Recorder Ben Mills at Wolverhampton Crown Court told the 30-year-old, who works as a delivery driver in the family butchery business:

"You sped off up the road without a care for his well being and you left him shaken, dazed and hurt. You just left him for dead.

Your criminal record demonstrates you have an inability to control your temper. You exhibited a total lack of rational control of your driving and your temper. Your conduct was wanton and reckless."

He said Mr Harris had been going about his business doing his job in Castle Street and people like him, working for the public, had to be protected by the courts. Nazabuth, whose six previous convictions including wounding and a public order offence, admitted causing bodily harm by wanton and furious driving and, as well as the ten-month prison sentence, he was banned from driving for a year.

Amy Jackson, prosecuting, said Mr Harris had issued a parking ticket for the Mercedes 4x4 belonging to Nazabuth, when he came running over and got into the driving seat of the vehicle. The warden then went to take a photograph of the illegally parked Mercedes when the vehicle suddenly moved forward hitting him on the lower leg and knocking him into the bonnet.

Nazabuth told him to get out of the way because he needed to go and he then struck the traffic warden a second time in the chest with his wing mirror before leaving the scene without checking on his welfare.

Miss Jackson said the incident had left Mr Harris suffering from anxiety, it had badly affected his confidence, he was having trouble sleeping and he was considering taking up a new occupation.