A 39-YEAR-old man racially abused another motorist after a collision in Whalley New Road, Blackburn.

The town’s magistrates heard the victim was chased from the scene by John Pratt after he took his car keys and called the police.

MORE TOP STORIES:

But Pratt claimed he had been the victim of an assault by the other man which left him with a broken jaw.

Pratt, of Douglas Place, Blackburn, was convicted in his absence of racially-aggravated threatening behaviour. He was made subject to community supervision for 12 months and ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work and pay £100 compensation and £300 costs.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the victim was following a car when it stopped in the middle of the road and the driver appeared to be having a conversation with the driver of a VW parked at the side of the road.

“As the cars pulled away the VW, which was driven by the defendant, pulled out without indicating and collided with the other vehicle,” said Miss Allan. “Both men got out of their cars and the defendant became abusive, telling the other man the crash was his fault.”

Jonathan Kent, defending, said his client had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was disappointed that he had missed his chance to put his case by failing to turn up on the date of his trial.

“There was a minor collision, words were exchanged and then there is some discrepancy about what was said and done by who,” said Mr Kent. “It is a fact my client suffered a broken jaw as a result of what he says was an assault by the victim in this case.”