Racist thug kneed and punched bus driver during Leeds road-rage incident

Mark Shaw called the man a “f***** foreigner” as he attacked the man’s car and then punched and kneed him during the road-rage incident on Morris Lane in Kirkstall.

Shaw, who is heavily convicted, admitted a charge of racially-aggravated common assault and criminal damage and appeared at Leeds Crown Court this week.

The court heard that the victim had been in his car, on his way to work as a bus driver, at around 1pm on July 16 last year, travelling along Morris Lane towards Kirkstall Road.

He overtook a stationary bus just as Shaw began to cross the road “someway in front”, prosecutor Louise Pryke said.

But Shaw took exception and began arguing with the driver, complaining that he had nearly knocked him over.

Shaw, 46, then kicked the car causing a “deep dent”, so the victim got out. Shaw then punched him to the head several times, pinned him up against the car and began kneeing him in the head, calling him a “f***** foreigner”.

Shocked members of the public dialled 999. The victim was taken to Leeds General Infirmary having suffered a concussion.

Shaw, of Clayton Grange, West Park, was arrested and told police he was acting in self defence, but footage captured at the scene failed to support his claims.

He was initially charged with ABH but this was later downgraded to common assault.

He has 70 convictions for 163 offences, although the court heard they are mainly for shoplifting. However, he was jailed for four years in 2000 for robbery.

Mitigating, Craig Sutcliffe conceded Shaw was heavily convicted but said few were for violence so this attack was “very much out of character”.

He said: “He [Shaw] clearly formed the impression on the day that the driving was inappropriate and reacted in a way that he is ashamed of himself.

“Thankfully the complainant does not appear to have suffered any severe or lasting injuries.”

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The judge, Recorder Aisha Wadoodi told Shaw: “Despite your appalling record this is completely out of character. You are really ashamed of what you said and the way you behaved.

"I don't believe your motivation was to be racist. I'm sure this was one of those incidents that was isolated in relation to your offending."

She gave him a 12-month community order and 15 rehabilitation appointments with probation.