A MAN from Prestatyn who sent another driver spinning in the wrong direction on the A55 in Rhuallt, before blaming him for the incident, has been spared jail.

Paul Woodward, 55, of Pennant Grove, was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment, suspended for a year-and-a-half, at Caernarfon Crown Court today (June 28).

He was found guilty after trial last month of a charge of dangerous driving.

READ MORE:

Prosecuting, William Griffin told the court that, at 4.40pm on September 15, 2023, police received a report of a crash on the A55 at Rhuallt Hill, on the eastbound carriageway.

Woodward, driving a Citroen Berlingo van, had been “aggressively jostling” with another motorist by entering his lane after he had overtaken him, essentially “ramming” him.

It ultimately caused the other driver to spin and face the wrong way on the carriageway.

Afterwards, Woodward acted aggressively towards the other driver, who suffered some damage to his car and some mental and physical injury.

At 5.25pm, Woodward was arrested, and though he was found to be clear of alcohol or drugs at the scene, he blamed the other driver for the incident, maintaining that it was him who had “rammed” into the other.

Mr Griffin said Woodward had made a “deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road” in what was “obviously a highly dangerous manoeuvre”.

Woodward, who had 11 previous convictions for 13 offences, represented himself in court today.

He said that, while he is in employment, he feared losing his job if he was sent to prison, which could lead him facing unmanageable debt.

“I’d just like to say I’m sorry,” he added.

“The court’s decision is the court’s decision, and I’ll take whatever punishment you give.”

Sentencing, Judge Timothy Petts disqualified Woodward from driving for 18 months, and he must then pass an extended retest before being allowed back on the roads.

Woodward will complete 20 days’ rehabilitation activity requirements and 150 hours’ unpaid work, and is to pay a statutory surcharge.

Judge Petts told him: “It’s clear that you had a rush of blood to the head as the car overtook you… you didn’t take kindly to it.

“It was a short-lived decision, although highly dangerous.

“Serious though this incident was, it doesn’t need immediate custody to punish you. (But) for the next 18 months, you’ve got a 15-month prison sentence hanging over you.”