A Land Rover driver has been jailed for three years after a road rage bust-up in Dover which left a cyclist with a fractured hip and rib.

Andrew Hoile and cyclist David Blackwell had first clashed in Folkestone Road, Dover in January 2016.

A jury at Canterbury Crown Court heard how Mr Blackwell believed the white Land Rover had passed him “too closely and too fast”.

Prosecutor Peter Forbes said Hoile, 44, of St David’s Avenue, had then “deliberately driven at the cyclist” after the first argument.

He told the jury: “Mr Blackwell saw the Land Rover braking sharply and caught up with the driver at traffic lights.

“He banged on the side of the vehicle and Hoile wound down his window and they had an angry exchange, Mr Blackwell swearing at him and the defendant swearing back.”

Mr Blackwell got back on his bike and carried on riding onto Crafford Street as Hoile “looped around on the one-way system" along Maison Dieu Road.

The prosecutor said: “Mr Blackwell had seen the Land Rover turning right into Crafford Street ahead of him.

“He stopped on the left-hand side of the road just past the entrance to an alleyway, which runs up to Morrison’s car park.

“However, he could see the Land Rover heading directly towards him, coming over to the wrong side of the road, travelling at approximately 25mph.”

Mr Forbes said the cyclist then straddled his bike intending to turn it around and head away but was struck sideways on.

"I panicked a little bit and thought I’m going to get a spanking and I carried on driving" - Andrew Hoile

He told the jury that the vehicle struck his hip and knocked him to the ground and as Mr Blackwell tried to stand he collapsed in agony as Hoile drove away.

Mr Blackwell later told police how an eyewitness later told him: "I saw what happened. He ran you over on purpose."

The eyewitness later told officers how she swore at the Land Rover driver as the vehicle left the scene.

Mr Blackwell was taken to King’s College Hospital in London and treated for a fractured rib, a dislocated shoulder and other injuries.

Mr Forbes told the jury: “This incident may perhaps be characterised as an incident of road rage."

Hoile, who denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent, went to the police station and claimed the cyclist was riding without lights in the early evening.

He told police: “He cut the corner. I panicked. I think I went right, possibly and then left and I know at some point I caught his bike.

“I panicked a little bit and thought I’m going to get a spanking and I carried on driving."

The jury acquitted Hoile of causing grievous bodily harm deliberately but convicted him of the lesser charge of inflicting serious injury.

He was given a four-year driving ban.