POLICE have praised a North Dorset community for helping them catch and prosecute two men for a "particularly nasty" road rage attack.

Driver Nicholas Castle, 29, was jailed for two and a half years for unlawful wounding and his 16-year-old passenger was sentenced to six months for actual bodily harm after what Judge John Harrow described as a "sickening" attack.

Both men pleaded guilty to the offence.

The hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court was told Castle, of Elm Close, Motcombe, forced Ricky Goddard to brake sharply when he overtook a lorry on the A30 near Shaftesbury on February 11, causing his car to skid and narrowly miss Castle's Izuzu 4x4.

Castle then pulled into a garage where Mr Goddard had parked, and punched him in the face before the 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, joined in the attack.

Mr Goddard later had to have a metal plate inserted in his jaw to repair two fractures.

In court Castle's defence counsel said his client was "exceedingly sorry" and, through his defence counsel the youth said he is very ashamed of his actions.

Inspector Phil Cheverton, of Shaftesbury and Gillingham Police, described the attack as "a rare but particularly nasty assault" and he praised the local community for helping them secure a successful conviction.

He added: "An appeal for information was put out and that together with other evidence led to a prosecution and conviction. Once again the local community has shown its resolve to deal with the small minority of people who wish to destroy the quality of life of its residents."

First published: September 16