Mansfield man was teaching son to drive when he punched stranger in road rage attack
A Mansfield man who was teaching his son to drive when he leapt out of his car in stationary traffic and punched a complete stranger in the face set a dreadful example, a court has heard.
Jamie Starbuck got out of his Ford Mondeo at traffic lights on a three lane section of Chesterfield Road North and walked over to his victim’s car in “a hostile and aggressive manner” at around 4am on September 20, 2021.
Stefan Fox, prosecuting, said Starbuck slammed his forearm and hand against the driver’s side window so it dropped down.
The driver reeled back as Starbuck leaned in and punched him once on the temple where the arm of his glasses was resting.
His victim was in a state of shock but managed to pull over and call the police. The incident was captured on dashcam. He was left with a sore head and worried the stress would raise his blood pressure as he takes medication for a heart condition.
“It happened in the middle of a busy road in broad daylight while surrounded by other people but nobody stopped and they all looked away,” said Mr Fox.
Starbuck denied punching the man and claimed he was verbally abusive and had made insulting gestures towards him and his son.
Nottingham Crown Court heard he has seven previous convictions for 12 offences, including common assault in 2002.
Digby Johnson, mitigating, said Starbuck, aged 45, was teaching his son to drive and became embarrassed when the car stalled.
“On that particularly day he behaved in a way that was entirely out of character,” he said.
“It's not true to say it's out of character," said Judge Michael Auty KC. “It's out of his more recent character.”
The court heard Starbuck lost his job as a result of the prosecution and his health deteriorated afterwards.
Starbuck, of Bailey Crescent, Mansfield, denied racially-aggravated assault but pleaded guilty to common assault when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday.
The judge told him: “It's a ludicrous, absurd way to behave and a dreadful example to set for your son. I recognise you have suffered as a result.”
He imposed a two-year conditional discharge and ordered Starbuck to pay £250 compensation to his victim.