Driver's fine slashed after road rage fear (From Stourbridge News)

Driver's fine slashed after road rage fear

10:48am Monday 25th February 2008 in Local

A STOURBRIDGE driver who jumped traffic lights to escape road rage maniacs won an appeal against licence penalty points.

Dutch born Johan Bergink, aged 52, was delivering a van in Gloucester December 2006 when he was photographed going through a red light.

On Friday February 22, Mr Bergink, from Prescott Road, told Gloucester Crown Court he made the manoeuvre because he was terrified if he stopped the vehicle he would be attacked by two people in a vehicle he has accidentally cut up' who were following him and behaving aggressively.

Mr Bergink said: "There were two people and they were gesturing towards me and apparently swearing.

"For the whole stretch of the road they were trying to slow me down by pulling in front of me, you are just naturally afraid in situation like that.

"It was not a conscious decision to go through a red light, it was just a desperate reaction to get away.

"I really had the impression they would have got out of their vehicle and done something to me if they could."

After the incident Mr Bergink was received a fixed penalty notice which he did not respond to and was later given three penalty points, fined £250 and ordered to pay £60 costs by Gloucester Magistrates.

On appeal the sentence was cut to a fine of £125, the court removed the points and waved the order for costs after accepting Mr Bergink's explanation of his actions.

After the hearing Mr Bergink said "I am pleased they understood my predicament."