A ROAD rage driver who broke another man’s jaw in an act of “unprovoked violence in the street” has today been given a suspended sentence.

Mohammed Khan, 43 of Wigan Road, Bolton, punched Mohsin Wazir, knocking him down on the road after Mr Wazir had challenged him for driving the wrong way down the one way route on Gibraltar Street on February 24, 2019.

Bolton Crown Court heard on how Mr Wazir had been concerned that there were children in the area and warned Khan to “take care” which resulted in Khan losing his temper, inviting Mr Wazir to fight him in the street before hitting him hard in the jaw.

Judge Tom Gilbart said: “Mr Wazir was quite entitled to speak to you how he did.”

He added: “This was unprovoked violence in the streets. You lost your temper because someone spoke to you about your own dangerous driving.”

Alaric Bassano, prosecuting, told the court how Khan’s victim had suffered from mental and physical after effects of the attack, that he had struggled to sleep and struggled with anxiety.

Upon being arrested, Khan had initially denied the charges, claiming that he had been threatened with a knife and only pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm on the second day of his trial on July 28 last year.

Catherine Walker, defending, pointed out that Khan had been driving his wife, who was suffering a panic attack at the time and that the one-way route had only been implemented on Gibraltar Street days before.

She also told the court that Khan was “genuinely remorseful” for his actions.

Ms Walker said: “He accepts in the heightened sense of stress and upset he was in, he acted in a way he shouldn’t have.”

She said that the damage had been done by a “single, impulsive blow” and told the court how Khan suffered from various mental health difficulties but that he did positive work in the community, including helping at a local foodbank.

She told the court that the Wazir family was known to him, and that he regretted the hurt he had caused them.

Judge Gilbart sentenced Khan to 14 months imprisonment, suspended for 24 months and made him the subject to a restraining order preventing him from contacting Mr Wazir for 10 years.