Cyclist punched repeatedly in the head by aggressive driver furious that group were riding two abreast

Update, 13/09/21, 5:44pm: a Wiltshire Police spokesman has now responded after being asked for comment. The full statement is below, and the original article appears underneath it. 

“In line with national policy, in cases of common assault with no injury, where the offender is identified and fully admits the offence, then an adult caution is deemed a suitable outcome.

“We are committed to providing a high level of service for all victims of crime, and if any victim is dissatisfied with the service they have received then they can make a formal complaint via the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner.”

A shocking video shows a cyclist being punched multiple times in the face by a driver who was enraged that he was riding two abreast in a group. 

Ady Short's wife, who was riding in front of the car, was also knocked off her bike by the driver as he attacked her husband through the car window. 

Mr Short was out with his wife and six other Swindon Wheelers club members when the driver of a black Nissan caught up with them on a bendy section of road where he was unable to overtake.  

Mr Short said: "He followed us for about 90 seconds, overtook us and braked hard in front of the group causing us to swerve around him but as we rode around him he took off again within the group causing further issues whilst remonstrating about us not singling out (he wouldn’t have got past one person let alone eight through the bendy section)."

While this, as Mr Short pointed out is, sadly, an all too common occurrence for cyclists on Britain's roads, what happened next was shocking. 

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Mr Short continued: "As club secretary and a trained Ride Lead we’re meant to de-escalate any situations so normally (happens too often) we wait to hear what they say and then explain why we were riding two abreast.

"He was very angry as you can see but before I could explain he started hitting me, I just suffered a black eye as a result and didn’t actually get the chance to say anything before he hit me. 

"He also knocked my wife off her bike, the camera was hers and she suffered cuts and bruises but wasn’t considered part of the case as the police couldn’t actually see her. 

"We made the guy wait as the police were called and told him when he tried to drive off that he would end up in more trouble." 

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Mr Short said he had been told by Wiltshire Police that the driver 'fully admitted' the assault and claimed to be very remorseful.

The driver was only handed a caution for the unprovoked attack.

Mr Short said the group were looking into appealing the seemingly light punishment. 

He also explained why he had tried to talk to the driver in the first place.

He said: "Generally, in our experience, it just humanises the situation if we can let them blow off steam and appear calm, we usually explain that we all drive cars as well and apologise for any inconvenience even though we shouldn’t have to apologise it just seems to take the anger out of the situation. 

"Its a case by case basis as to whether we talk about must and should where the highway code is concerned, this guy was absolutely adamant that we must ride single file which is what he was shouting about as I cycled by him...

"What took the steam out of this situation more than anything post fracas was my wife shouting that we had cameras."

Wiltshire Police have been contacted for comment. 

Update, 13/09/2021: We've had a huge response to this article, with many readers expressing shock and distress, plus surprise at the response from Wiltshire Police. You can contact the office for the Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner here, and if you were directly affected, you can make a complaint here.