Jealous Shropshire man who drove car into love rival banned from road
A man who used his car like a “butting goat” to knock a love rival off his feet has been banned from the road for 12 months.
Gary Peel struck Richard Ellis from behind after slowly and deliberately driving a blue Ford Fiesta into him near the Queen’s Head pub, near Oswestry, on July 12.
Shrewsbury Crown Court heard that 39-year-old Peel had spotted his ex-partner with Mr Ellis in the area.
Mr Andrew Wallace, prosecuting, said the defendant, of Bagley, Ellesmere, had a history of similar incidents.
“This was not an isolated incident in his life. He told the probation officer that he had driven into the car of an old girlfriend who had a new boyfriend,” Mr Wallace said.
“This was a short, deliberate punch with the car.”
He said the victim sustained dizziness and a sore back.
In mitigation, Mr Raglan Ashton said the jockey started drinking after the death of his mother in 2011 and would have difficulties getting to work if given a driving ban.
Peel pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and was disqualified from driving for 12 months.
He was also given a two-year community order and must attend 30 rehabilitation activity days and the building better relationship programme.
He was also made subject to a restraining order not to contact his former partner or Mr Ellis in any way for three years.
Peel was found not guilty of an offence of causing grievous bodily harm to the victim at the hearing on Monday.
