A 26-YEAR-OLD man has been jailed for four years for a "vicious and unprovoked" road rage attack on a van driver at a Bradford petrol station.

Sajjad Sheikh and his "man mountain" of an accomplice left Andrew Wilson unable to speak to make a 999 call after breaking his jaw in three places on the forecourt of the Murco garage in Killinghall Road.

Sheikh, of Tagore Court, Manningham, Bradford, pleaded guilty to wounding Mr Wilson with intent to do him grievous bodily harm on the afternoon of July 12 last year.

Prosecutor Frida Hussain told Bradford Crown Court today that Mr Wilson was driving home from work in heavy traffic when the driver of a blue Volkswagen Golf was impatient to pass him.

Mr Wilson waved him on and the vehicle pulled alongside.

Sheikh, who was the front passenger, threw a plastic bottle, hitting Mr Wilson on the arm.

Another missile struck the front passenger door and insults were hurled at Mr Wilson, who followed the car on to the garage forecourt.

When he tried to photograph the Golf's registration plate, Sheikh kicked his van, Miss Hussain said.

Sheikh and the big man with him then gave Mr Wilson a beating, punching him to the head and kicking him when he went to the ground.

Mr Wilson sought refuge in the garage but when he tried to call the emergency services, his injuries were so severe he was unable to speak.

He spent two days in hospital where plates were inserted to repair three jaw fractures.

It took him a month to recover and he spent weeks off work, the court heard.

Fingerprints on the damaged van linked Shiekh to the attack.

He had also been photographed by Mr Wilson on the garage forecourt.

Sheikh's barrister, Mohammed Nawaz, told the court: "This was an extremely ugly incident, of that there is no doubt."

The defendant had been "cocky and stupid" before the attack but was not the main aggressor.

His accomplice, described by Mr Wilson as "a man mountain" had the case against him dropped but he was now in jail serving a long sentence for a similar offence.

Mr Nawaz said Sheikh was from a good family and had never previously been convicted of serious violence.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC told Sheikh: "This was a vicious and unprovoked attack by you and another on a public petrol station forecourt."