Road-rage driver could be banned

A MOTORIST who left two car passengers suffering from whiplash after a road-rage incident on the A12 has been warned he could be given a prison sentence.

A MOTORIST who left two car passengers suffering from whiplash after a road-rage incident on the A12 has been warned he could be given a prison sentence.

Father-of-three Stuart Baldwin, 38, was upset by

the “relatively slow and erratic speed” of a car containing four young

people on the A12 at Benhall and braked sharply in front of it before reversing hard into it, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

The other vehicle was

badly damaged and two passengers suffered whiplash injuries.

Baldwin, of Sarsen Close, Halesworth, had denied dangerous driving on the A12 on October 21 last year and was due to stand trial next week.

But on Wednesday he changed his plea to guilty and also entered guilty pleas to offences of failing to stop and give his name and address after an accident and failing to report an accident.

Judge Neil McKittrick adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report and said that although all sentencing options would be open to the court a custodial sentence was a possibility.

He said the vehicle Baldwin reversed into was damaged to such an extent that the owner speculated it might be a write-off.

He said Baldwin's justi-fication for what he had done was the relatively slow and erratic speed at which the vehicle had been driven.

Baldwin was traced after one of the passengers of the car had “the presence of mind” to make a note of his registration number.

Godfried Duah, prosecuting, said Baldwin had no previous convictions but did have

three penalty points on his licence.

Richard Wood, for Baldwin, said he had a long-term partner and three children.

He worked in Watford and drove 700 miles per week.

“He accepts he must be banned and must take an extended driving test,” said Mr Wood.

Judge McKittrick agreed not to impose an interim driving ban on Baldwin.