A Jaguar driver who knocked down a female parking warden after she fined him for illegally using a ‘parent and child’ space has been jailed for six months.
Martin Takle, 36, was furious when Asda car park attendant Jackie Smith gave him a £60 fixed penalty notice for using the bay without any children in his car.
He then reversed out of the space and veered sharply – catching her legs with his front wing and knocking her to the ground.
The incident was filmed on the store’s CCTV cameras and Takle, from Hartcliffe, Bristol, later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Bristol Crown Court.
Judge Mark Horton was shown the footage which showed him remonstrating with the attendant at Asda in Bedminster, Bristol, during the incident in January.
Ms Smith can be seen approaching the car stooping down to talk to him and handing over the ticket
Father-of-two Takle then slams the door of his Jaguar XJ and turns sharly while reversing out, catching Ms Smith’s legs. She was knocked over but was otherwise uninjured.
Paul Ricketts, prosecuting, said Ms Smith was working on behalf of the supermarket for private enforcement company Town and City Parking when the offence took place.
David Chidgey, mitigating, said: ”It is difficult not to be shocked by the driving, I have to accept that.
”It is only by good fortune there wasn’t greater injury than there was. It was a very reckless piece of driving in a busy car park and he knows he will be punished for that.”
The court heard Tackle, of Hartcliffe, Bristol, had a number of previous convictions but they were not for similar offences.
Mr Chidgey explained he had worked in driving jobs since he was aged 17 and was aware he would not be able to drive for at least a year due to the conviction.
His children aged 14 and six would have to be supported by his partner who worked as a care worker while he was incarcerated.
But Judge Horton still imposed the custodial sentence, also banning him from driving for 15 months and ordering him to pass an extended driving test before returning to the road.
He said: ”There is nothing in your history that reflects or aggravates the offence which you appear before this court in respect of, for which I have to sentence you.
”The difficulty is that this was an extremely dangerous piece of driving at at time when you completely and utterly lost reason, which I accept was out of character.”
A true hero of the people. We need more men like this.