A MAN has been jailed after he falsely claimed he was responsible for a serious road rage incident.

Gavin Newton, 21, from Lilburne Close, Hendon, Sunderland, was jailed for nine months at Newcastle Crown Court after he admitted perverting the course of justice.

An incident took place in September last year in which a motorist, Michael Anderson, was seriously assaulted during a dispute with the driver of a white van.

Prosecutor Diane Spence said: "The driver approached Mr Anderson's car and grabbed him by the throat and punched him repeatedly in the face through the driver's window.

"Mr Anderson got out of his car and was then hit by another blow directly to his face where he was knocked unconscious to the ground."

A description of the man was issued and Newton arrived at a police station claiming to be the van driver. After being interviewed by police, Newton was not arrested because he did not fit the description from witnesses.

In December last year, a man fitting the description of the white van driver was arrested, but later released because he was not correctly identified in a parade.

A week later, Newton admitted he had nothing to do with the incident and that a man had forced him to do it.

Tony Hawks, mitigating, said: "This man has pleaded guilty to this serious offence and said he did so because he had been threatened and offered payment of £1,000."

Sentencing Newton, Judge David Wood said: "You are a villain of the piece because you confessed to something that you didn't do and prevented the actual villain from prosecution.

"Anyone who commits a serious crime like this can only expect to receive a custodial sentence."