Driver avoids prison sentence after mowing down cyclist for 'riding over a bridge'

A driver has avoided being jailed after he deliberately crashed into a cyclist because the man 'cycled over a bridge'.

Muir David Taylor, 65,  'started going mental' and swerved into the rider, knocking the man into a busy road.

He then drove off, leaving the victim lying injured on the floor. 

Taylor appeared at Plymouth Crown Court, Devon, for sentence having pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

Prosecuting the case, Emily Cook described how on November 6 last year the victim  was cycling behind Taylor on the Tamar Bridge when Taylor took exception to him, Cornwall Live reports.

Taylor slowed down so the cyclist had to stop and the pair exchanged words.

After leaving the bridge Taylor should have turned right but instead, without indicating, swerved left across two lanes of traffic to get in front of the rider.

The cyclist pulled up and Taylor told him not to cycle on the bridge with witnesses describing him as 'going mental'.

Taylor then deliberately drove into the cyclist, knocking him over and into a live lane of traffic.

He then accelerated away but witnesses were able to identify his vehicle to police and Taylor was traced and arrested.

The victim was lucky to only suffer minor injuries but has been left shaken by the ordeal.

Sentencing Taylor, Judge Robert Linford said: “You lost your temper and at some point your vehicle hit a cyclist. This was extremely dangerous driving because you lost your temper.

“That said this is the only time you’ve done anything wrong in your entire life and you have expressed an appropriate level of remorse.

“I note the problems that beset your life prior to this incident.”

Taylor was given a 12 month community order consisting of a mental health treatment requirement and a rehabilitation activity requirement. He was also banned from driving for 12 months.