A ROAD rage driver who swung a metal rod at another driver when a row turned violent before later causing a horror smash on Oxford’s ring road has been spared jail.

Mohammed Hoque, of Sorrel Road, Blackbird Leys, had already admitted one count of dangerous driving and having an offensive weapon.

Oxford Crown Court heard at his sentencing for the two incidents today how the 23-year old committed his first offence on February 13 last year.

Prosecutors said Hoque had been parked in a bus lane at Banbury Road with his hazard lights on.

As another car – a Ford Fiesta – passed by, Hoque’s suddenly veered his BMW out into the road which provoked a row between the two drivers.

The court heard that Hoque went on to punch the driver of the Fiesta – whose wife and child looked on from inside the car – before retrieving a metal wheel brace from his own car after a second driver pulled up and entered the fray.

Hoque then raised the object in an aggressive stance before swinging it at the men, the court heard, prompting them to flee.

During the second incident, Hoque was seen by police officers on the southern bypass driving at speeds estimated to be up to 100mph.

He was seen speeding through red lights in his BMW before crossing another traffic light at the Abingdon Road roundabout on January 5 this year.

On that day another driver was turning at the roundabout when Hoque ploughed into her car.

In a victim personal statement read to the court, the driver – who escaped with only minor injuries – said the smash had left her feeling anxious and with sleep problems.

In mitigation, Jonathan Coode said that his client was remorseful at the collision and sought to downplay the seriousness of the weapon charge.

He said: “The defendant is five foot four in height, weighing 55 kg. The two men who we are concerned with were over twice his age, both were six feet tall.

“He reached for the [weapon] because he was scared. He had never been in a situation like that before, he thought he was going to get hurt.”

Speaking of the collision he said Hoque had ‘chanced’ the light being on amber and added that he was ‘extremely sorry’ for what happened.

Sentencing, Judge Simon Wilkinson said: “This sort of driving cannot be tolerated.

"Ordinarily bad driving such as this attracts an immediate custodial sentence.

“The reason I don’t pass one is first of all you are a young man of hitherto good character, and you are in responsible employment.”

He was given an eight-month jail term for dangerous driving and one month for the weapon to run consecutively, both of which have been suspended for 18 months.

He must also carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and obey a 16-week overnight curfew, as well as pay court costs of £500 and is disqualified from driving for 18 months.