A ROAD rage driver has been jailed for deliberately mowing down a man during a confrontation on a Bradford street.

Tariq Adalat’s eyes were “almost popping out of his head in anger” when he deliberately ran down van driver Stephen Gill in a row over a suspected collision in Legrams Lane, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

Mr Gill was helped by members of the public after Adalat drove a black Volkswagen Golf into his legs knocking him down, prosecutor Conor Quinn told the court.

Adalat, 35, of Northside Terrace, Lidget Green, Bradford, sped off but was tracked down and arrested after his car registration was noted.

Mr Gill was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary and treated for a bleeding lip and bruising and grazing to his hand, thigh and foot.

He later picked out Adalat at a video identification procedure.

Adalat pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Gill, causing him actual bodily harm, dangerous driving and driving while disqualified on June 8 last year.

He was imprisoned for 16 months and banned from driving for two years and eight months.

Mr Quinn said the incident began in Cemetery Road, Bradford, at 2pm when Mr Gill thought the wing mirror on his Peugeot van had been struck.

He and Adalat got out of their vehicles and words were exchanged.

Both then drove a short distance on to Legrams Lane and parked up again.

Mr Gill wanted to inspect both vehicles for damage but said that Adalat became so aggressive “his eyes were almost popping out of his head in anger”.

Adalat backed his car towards Mr Gill who jumped clear.

The Golf then hit the van and mounted the pavement before moving forward and knocking Mr Gill down.

The defendant had previous convictions for driving while disqualified and affray, the court heard.

He was banned from driving for an offence of dangerous driving.

In mitigation, Adalat’s barrister Mark Tomassi said: “My client is a hot headed fool, and I am sure he will accept that.”

Mr Gill’s injuries were slight and superficial, similar to those that would be sustained from falling off a pedal cycle, Mr Tomassi told the court.

He said his client was capable of hard work and was very sorry for his actions that day.

“He has no-one to blame but himself for his own foolhardiness,” Mr Tomassi added.

Jailing Adalat, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said he had used his vehicle as a weapon.

“You used your car to drive at that gentleman," the judge told him.

"Fortunately the injuries were relatively minor, although the shock and trauma was most evident.”