A DRIVER must pay £100 compensation to the fellow motorist he injured in a road rage incident in the centre of York.

Gerald Lee was sitting in his van at a red traffic light in Foss Islands Road when Robert McGrath, 23, got out of a vehicle behind him, pulled the van's door open and punched him in the face, York magistrates heard.

Mr Lee suffered a bloody nose, but was able to take details of McGrath's silver car as it sped off, said Steven Ovenden, prosecuting. Other motorists who had seen the incident also helped police.

McGrath, of Brookfield View, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to assault. Magistrates ordered him to do 100 hours' community punishment and pay £100 compensation to Mr Lee plus £55 prosecution costs.

Mr Ovenden said that Mr Lee was driving at about 20mph towards the Barbican Centre when he noted McGrath's silver car behind him edging out and then edging back into line as though it was trying to overtake. Then Mr Lee had to stop at traffic lights behind five cars.

For McGrath, Chris McGrogan said that earlier, Mr Lee's van had pulled out in front of McGrath and there had been a very slight collision. McGrath had got out of his vehicle to "remonstrate" with the van driver. The Cleckheaton man was sorry for his actions, which were out of character.

Updated: 09:55 Thursday, March 13, 2003