A MOTORIST who ‘lost it’ and rammed his vehicle into a van after a fight outside a Dorchester convenience store has been jailed.

Shocking CCTV footage shows the moment 52-year-old Vincent Paul Lockett drove his car straight into the other vehicle outside the One Stop in Kings Road on the afternoon of February 18.

The images were shown at Dorchester Crown Court as Lockett, of Holbaek Close, Dorchester, was sentenced for offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and dangerous driving.

David Richards, prosecuting, told the court that Lockett had got into an argument with van driver Nigel Trent.

The defendant claimed the way Mr Trent had parked his Bredy Agricentre van meant Lockett had scraped his Ford Focus on the kerb as he tried to exit the lay-by outside the store.

Mr Richards said he confronted Mr Trent, who pushed Lockett away and a fight broke out between the two men that ended with Lockett kicking his victim to the thigh and buttocks as he lay on the floor.

He said Lockett initially drove off but soon returned and drove at Mr Trent’s vehicle before swerving off course at the last moment, when Mr Trent appeared in front of the van, and hit a wall.

Lockett was then seen to come back and ram straight into the side of Mr Trent’s van and he also drove into another Bredy Agricentre van that arrived at the scene.

Mr Richards said the total value of the damage to the vans was over £6,000.

In a basis of plea Lockett claimed he had gone to drive away from the scene but came back when he saw the second van as he thought it was Mr Trent following him.

Tim Bradbury, mitigating, said that although his client conceded his driving was ‘outrageous’, he had never intended to hurt anyone.

He said: “He has always made it clear that, outrageous though his behaviour was on that day, he did not at any stage seek to cause Mr Trent any injury.”

Mr Bradbury said Lockett suffered from chronic pain as well as depression and recognised he had a ‘short fuse’.

Judge Roger Jarvis sentenced Lockett to a total of 80 weeks in prison for the two offences.

He told the defendant: “You recognise that behaviour on your part shows a shocking lack of self control.

“You had completely lost it – you had not any regard at all for the effect of what you were doing on those who were nearby.

“The potential calamitous consequences were clear.”

Inspector hopes offender will recieve help

INSPECTOR Les Fry of Dorchester Police has welcomed the sentence handed down to Lockett and said he hopes he will receive help in prison to address his behaviour.

He added that the consequences of Lockett’s actions on that afternoon back in February could have had far worse consequences than simply damaging his own vehicle and two work vans.

Insp Fry said: “This was a very serious incident that could have potentially have caused somebody serious harm.

“We welcome the custodial sentence and hope it will help to change his behaviour and make a difference to keep people safer.”