A MAN said by a judge to have “a very short fuse” was jailed for a road rage attack on an innocent motorist.

Paul Henning punched the other man in the face, fracturing his cheek bone, in the incident as both entered Ferryhill, County Durham, on the A167, on May 22 last year.

Durham Crown Court heard that Henning “tailgated” the other car, which was travelling at just below the 60-miles per hour limit for the road, on the approach to Ferryhill.

Phillip Morley, prosecuting, said entering Ferryhill, Henning overtook and then “aggressively” cut back in front of the other car, slightly clipping it as he did so.

Both vehicles came to a halt and the defendant got out of his Mini, shouting as he approached the other car.

Before the other man was able to get out of his car, Henning punched him in the side of the face, causing the cheek bone fracture.

Mr Morley said Henning then went back to his vehicle, where a passenger got out, before the defendant sped away from the scene.

A short time later a police officer went to his home address and found him hiding in a downstairs cupboard.

He smelled as if he had been drinking and gave a subsequent breath test reading of 47mg of alcohol, compared to the limit of 35mg.

When interviewed he told police he had rowed with his partner at the time and was in an emotionally charged state when he overtook.

He “saw red” on colliding with the other car, leading him to hit the driver.

The court heard that while on police bail for that offence, Henning breached a restraining order by gesturing and mouthing comments to an ex-partner from his car, when she passed, in Spennymoor, on July 1.

Henning, 47, of Church Road, Ferryhill, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm, driving without due care and attention, but with excess alcohol, and breaching the restraining order.

Lewis Kerr, mitigating, said the offences were committed at a time the defendant was drinking heavily due to mental turmoil in his life, for which he was taking anti-depressant medication.

“He accepts the alcohol was, at the time, problematic, and agreed his behaviour was unacceptable.”

Judge Simon Hickey told Henning he picked on, “a completely innocent motorist”, adding: “You do appear to have a short fuse and that’s what worries me.”

He imposed sentences totalling 15-months, but reduced them by a third due to his early guilty pleas.

Henning was banned from driving for 30-months and the restraining order was made to run “indefinitely”.