Ellesmere road rage driver got out of car with knife
A driver who saw red when he was involved in a near miss on a blind bend just outside Ellesmere got out of his car with a knife.
Kenneth Phillip Howell-Walker, 31, of Hillpark, Dudleston Heath, admitted charges of possessing a bladed article and careless driving, when he appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Wednesday.
Judge Jonathon Gosling told Howell-Walker that every case of road rage was worthy of a custodial sentence. But, adjourning the case until September for pre-sentence reports, he told Howell-Walker that he was minded to suspend any sentence.
The court was told that the incident happened on the Ellesmere to St Martins Road near the ETC sawmills headquarters on September 19 last year. Howell-Walker had been driving a VW panel van.
Judge Gosling said the incident had taken place on a bend and involved an overtaking manoeuvre.
“I understand that you are a carpet fitter and the knife is one you would have with you anyway. However any case of road rage crosses the custody threshold,” he said.
The judge heard that Howell-Walker had recently been diagnosed with anxiety.
