Road-rage driver assaulted 17-year-old motorist

Road-rage driver assaulted 17-year-old motorist

First-time offender Russell Tracy Harcombe (57), of Grande Route de St Laurent, clashed with the youth, who had been driving close behind the defendant’s car and ‘making hand gestures’ at him.

The Magistrate’s Court heard that Harcombe ‘lost his cool’ when he stopped his white Fiat on the main road on the afternoon of 27 May near St Lawrence Church and went to confront the youth. The defendant admitted a charge of assault and was bound over to be of good behaviour for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to the victim.

Centenier Mike Haden said that the incident began when the victim was in his car at about 2.50 pm at the junction of Rue Millbrae and Grande Route de St Laurent. The teenager was attempting to turn on to the main road. Meanwhile, Harcombe was driving his white Fiat on Grande Route de St Laurent and it is alleged Harcombe hooted his horn as the young man’s car was edging out into the
road.

The court heard that the young driver then followed closely behind Harcombe’s car as they both made their way towards the centre of St Lawrence. The Centenier said that Harcombe then stopped his vehicle and both drivers got out of their
cars.

Harcombe gripped the young man by the neck and pushed him on to the bonnet of the car, the court heard. The defendant said that when he went towards the other driver the teenager was abusive and swearing at him, so he acted in self-defence.

The court heard that a woman in another car driving north saw the incident and called the police. Centenier Haden said that the witness corroborated the victim’s version of events.

When the police doctor examined the youth, he found marks on his neck.

Advocate Alison Brown, defending, said that Harcombe was a man of previous good character. She said that although the defendant did notice the car at the junction, he denied hooting his horn.

She said the other car was ‘extremely close behind him’ and that the driver was making hand gestures towards him that the defendant ‘could not understand at all’.

So she said he stopped his car to find out what was happening.

Advocate Brown said that Harcombe accepted that he ‘lost his cool’ and that ‘he pushed the young man away from him’. However, she said that he did not accept that he had put his hands around the other man’s neck.

In sentencing, the Magistrate, Bridget Shaw, told the defendant: ‘This was thoroughly unacceptable behaviour. The victim was 17 years old, of small build, and you are much older and bigger. You should not have resorted to violence.’

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