Jail for Ipswich man Matthew Jarman who drove car into neighbour in ‘blind rage’

Sentencing 42-year-old Matthew Jarman at Ipswich Crown Court today Judge Emma Peters said he had driven at speed down Eustace Road intending to cause Ian Davey “significant” injury.

“You were clearly in a blind rage as you drove down that road,” she said.

Jarman, of Eustace Road in the town, had admitted assaulting Mr Davey causing him actual bodily harm, common assault on Thomas Ball, another neighbour and having an axe as an offensive weapon.

In addition to being jailed Jarman was banned from driving for 33 months and given a five year restraining order.

CCTV footage caught the moment Matthew Jarman drove into his neighbour. Picture: CONTRIBUTED

The court heard Mr Davey had just returned home from picking his six-year-old son up from school and was on his drive when Jarman down Eustace Road at speed at him.

Mr Davey described Jarman driving at 40mph before hitting him with the front of his car, and said since the incident on July 20 last year he had undergone surgery to repair damage to his knee.

He said that after driving at him Jarman reversed back up the road towards the home of another neighbour Thomas Ball and had got out of his car with an axe.

He had thrown down the axe and had started fighting Mr Ball when he was restrained by police.

Giving evidence, Jarman said he had rushed home in a panic after receiving a telephone call from his distressed wife telling him Mr Ball had been round accusing him of damaging his car and shouting threats.

Jarman admitted “losing it” when he came down the street and saw Mr Davey looking aggressive.

“I hit him with the front of my car,” he said.

“I don’t know what I was thinking. I needed to get to my wife and I wasn’t thinking straight.”

He also said he braked before hitting Mr Davey as he didn’t want to damage his car on a rut in the road.

He admitted being upset at being wrongly accused of damaging Mr Ball’s car.