Driver jailed for deliberately swerving towards cyclists

A Gloucestershire motorist who deliberately swerved towards cyclists has been jailed for two and a half years after being found guilty of two counts of dangerous driving. He was acquitted in relation to a third charge of the same offence.

Dean Goble, aged 40, had been filmed by cyclist David Jones as he drove his Peugeot 206 across the road towards the rider in Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire in April 2014.

A jury at Swindon Crown Court convicted him today of dangerous driving in connection with that incident, and another that occurred a week later between Ewen and Cirencester in Gloucestershire, with Jeremy Maiden the cyclist involved, reports BBC News.

However, he was cleared of dangerous driving in relation to a third incident in May 2014 when cyclist Amanda Adams said she had been similarly targeted in Ashton Stoke.

Goble had claimed that he was trying to avoid potholes in the incident involving Mr Jones and also told the court during his trial this week that it had been his brother driving the car during the subsequent ones.

> Dean Goble tried "to scare the living daylights" out of cyclists, says prosecution

Passing sentence on Goble, who was also banned from driving for two years, judge Tim Mousley told Goble his said his behaviour was "typical of an aggressive and bullying nature," and that the speed he was driving was an "aggravating feature."

He also said that it was "a matter of luck rather than any judgment on your part" that the cyclists escaped unharmed.

Sergeant Barrie Card of Wiltshire Police commented: "Dean Goble had no respect for the safety of these cyclists; his dangerous and irresponsible actions could have killed one of these innocent people or, at the very least, seriously injured one of them.

"Today's verdict is a welcome one and sends out the message that Wiltshire Police will catch you if you endanger the lives of other road users and drive like this."