A MAN who carried out a "road rage" attack on a Carlow dentist was sentenced to four months in prison by Judge Donnachadh O Buachalla at Wexford District Court yesterday.
John McKeown, a native of Dublin, with an address in Ferndale Park, Wexford, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Robert Gorby, a dental surgeon from Carlow, on the main street in Bunclody on April 10th last.
The assault took place after the defendant grew impatient when the car in which he was travelling as a passenger became stuck in traffic behind Mr Gorby's car.
Mr Gorby noticed that the car behind him was flashing its lights and thinking there was something wrong, pulled in to the side of the street. When he rolled down the window the defendant punched him repeatedly in the face and shouted "Are you going to learn to drive this car?"
In his defence, McKeown said he was drunk at the time and was worried about his girlfriend who was having an asthma attack. He said he was angry with Mr Gorby because he did not pull in far enough to let them pass. He said he had apologised to Mr Gorby in a letter.