A VICTIM was left seeing flashing lights after his head was smashed in a car door in a road rage argument.

Graham Joseph Evans was in an argument with the victim after the incident on March 20, 2021.

But the “matters escalated” when Evans slammed the car door, trapping the victim’s head between the chassis and door frame, Swindon Magistrates’ Court heard on Monday (July 4).

Prosecutor Tom Power said that he immediately felt pain but with “adrenaline” didn’t realise the full extent of his injuries.

He went to the hospital where doctors feared a potentially torn retina, but it transpired he had suffered bruising to the layers of the eye instead.

The victim also suffered a cut to his left eyebrow and small abrasion to the right rear of his head.

“The injuries are quite severe and unpleasant,” Mr Power told the court.

“[It is a] fairly serious case, the car door was essentially used as a weapon. It’s quite a serious assault in my submission.”

He added that Evans, of Holliday Close in Abbey Meads, has a “track record of violence against others”, including a previous conviction of ABH in 2009.

Defending, Emma Hillier said that there was “sensitive information” in the psychiatric and pre-sentence reports so would not read them to the court.

But, she said, her client “accepts that he does have a sporadic anger management issue, and he has sought help for that”.

“He is remorseful for this incident and as you can see from the pre-sentence report he… accepted he could have reacted differently.”

The 35-year-old, who works at The Range as one of his two part-time jobs, has potentially got a job offer in Somerset and “everything seems to be about moving forwards”, Ms Hillier continued.

District Judge Joanna Dickens said her decision “was on a knife-edge today. It could have gone either way”.

But she decided not to send Evans straight to prison, citing an early guilty plea, genuine remorse, mental health issues and a wish to change.

“This was an incredibly serious road rage offence.

“Whatever view you take of someone else’s driving, to react in a really quite terrifying manner is not acceptable and caused serious injury and distress to the victim in this situation.”

District Judge Dickens imposed a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. During this time, he must complete 150 hours of unpaid work, 35 rehabilitation activity days, and pay £200 in compensation.